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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. vault — a safe
  3. craft — a skill
  4. rest — what's left
  5. board — to get on
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. game — a match
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. rest — a break
  12. craft — boats
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. club — for golf
  15. board — a committee
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. club — a group
  18. shower — to wash
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bear — the animal
  21. game — wild animals
  22. rest — what's left
  23. shower — rain
  24. bear — the animal

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