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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cue — for pool
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cue — a signal
  8. cue — a hint
  9. pound — a weight
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. spring — of water
  13. spring — a coil
  14. vault — a safe
  15. clip — to cut
  16. rock — music
  17. saw — the tool
  18. spring — the season
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. rock — a stone
  22. clip — a video
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. clip — for paper

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