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 116 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. hand — in cards
  6. cue — for pool
  7. cap — a hat
  8. cue — a hint
  9. hand — help
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. kick — in football
  19. cap — a lid
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. cap — of ice

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