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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. club — a group
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. club — for golf
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. club — for dancing
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. craft — boats
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. game — wild animals
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. game — a match
  24. vault — a safe

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