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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. last — to go on
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stock — shares
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. stock — goods
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. vault — a safe
  16. last — final
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ball — a dance
  20. squash — the sport
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. last — finally

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