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 is an ace ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He was locked up in a ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  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. pitcher — in baseball
  2. lie — to recline
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. cell — in biology
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. cell — a phone
  7. cue — for pool
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. craft — a skill
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. clip — to cut
  12. clip — a video
  13. wake — a trail
  14. craft — boats
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. cell — in a prison
  19. vault — a safe
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  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