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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rush — hurry
  6. ball — a great time
  7. pit — a hole
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. bark — to shout
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. tear — from crying
  19. pit — in a race
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. chip — for betting
  22. tear — to rip
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. tear — from crying

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