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 120 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 is an ace ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. swing — music
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. land — a country
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cap — of ice
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. land — ground
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. cap — a hat
  20. land — to come down
  21. swing — in golf
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cap — a lid
  24. swing — to play on

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