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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. net — in sport
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. net — for catching
  6. mate — to breed
  7. hand — help
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mate — a partner
  11. net — after costs
  12. cue — a hint
  13. hand — in cards
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — in sport
  16. cue — a signal
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. mate — a friend
  21. season — of the year
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. ruler — a monarch

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