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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. firm — decided
  3. court — for sport
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. firm — steady
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. game — wild animals
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. firm — a company
  11. plane — a tool
  12. court — of law
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mine — for digging
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. court — of a king
  20. game — a match
  21. coach — pulled by horses
  22. bear — the animal
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. mine — belonging to me

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