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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ground — crushed
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. staff — employees
  6. chip — to eat
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. band — a ring
  11. vault — a safe
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. chip — for betting
  14. ground — a position
  15. band — a music group
  16. saw — the tool
  17. club — a group
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. ground — the earth
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. club — for golf
  22. staff — a stick
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. saw — the tool

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