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. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — a phone
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cue — for pool
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chair — a leader
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. scale — size or range
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. cue — a signal
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. rest — a break
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. cue — a hint
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rest — what's left
  22. scale — in music
  23. cell — in biology
  24. rush — hurry

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