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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. vault — a safe
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. deal — to handle
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. toast — bread
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. chip — to eat
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. date — the fruit

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