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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. shower — to wash
  3. court — of a king
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — a safe
  7. court — of law
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. bass — low music
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chip — for betting
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. chip — to eat
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. court — for sport
  23. shower — rain
  24. trunk — of a tree

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