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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bound — obliged
  3. clip — a video
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — tied together
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. land — a country
  8. bass — low music
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. land — ground
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bass — the fish
  14. ball — a great time
  15. clip — to cut
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. ball — a dance
  18. clip — for paper
  19. land — to come down
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. bass — the instrument

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