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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. stock — shares
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. stock — goods
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. chest — of your body
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — thin
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. chest — of your body
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chest — a box
  24. straw — a straw man

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