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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bound — tied together
  6. fork — in a road
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. snap — to click
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. pitch — completely
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. vault — a safe
  17. ball — a great time
  18. wax — to grow
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. deal — to handle
  22. bound — obliged
  23. bound — certain
  24. fork — to eat with

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