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 124 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. ball — a dance
  5. file — a tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. band — a music group
  8. file — a document
  9. bass — the fish
  10. firm — steady
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. ball — a great time
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. file — a line of people
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. band — a ring
  23. bass — low music
  24. bay — a horse colour

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