ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bass — the fish
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. pound — a weight
  14. tube — a container
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bass — low music
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com