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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rush — hurry
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. pit — in a race
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. pit — a hole
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kid — to tease
  13. board — to get on
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. board — a committee
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. vault — a safe

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