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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bound — tied together
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bound — certain
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. bound — obliged
  10. pit — in a race
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. swing — music
  13. charge — a price
  14. rock — a stone
  15. charge — in control
  16. pit — a hole
  17. swing — in golf
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rock — music
  22. swing — to play on
  23. ball — a dance
  24. charge — electricity

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