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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. He was locked up in a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. cap — a hat
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. swing — in golf
  7. key — for a lock
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. cell — a phone
  10. cap — of ice
  11. wake — a trail
  12. swing — to play on
  13. cell — in biology
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. vault — a safe
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. swing — music
  20. key — in music
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. cell — in a prison
  23. deal — to handle
  24. calf — of the leg

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