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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mate — to breed
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. mate — a friend
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. firm — a company
  9. bass — the fish
  10. firm — steady
  11. object — a thing
  12. vault — a safe
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. row — to paddle
  15. firm — decided
  16. mate — a partner
  17. bass — low music
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. deal — to handle
  21. object — an aim
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. object — to protest
  24. trunk — of a tree

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