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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — shares
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. tube — a container
  7. shower — rain
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ball — a dance
  10. tube — the underground
  11. board — a committee
  12. shower — to wash
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. cue — for pool
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. vault — a safe
  23. scale — in music
  24. stock — goods

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