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 took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. vault — a safe
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. shower — to wash
  10. bark — to shout
  11. mark — a trace
  12. dip — to sink
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. net — after costs
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. shower — rain
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. mark — a grade
  23. net — in sport
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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