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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. file — a tool
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mug — to rob
  6. vault — a safe
  7. shower — rain
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. dip — to sink
  10. chip — to eat
  11. file — a document
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. pit — a hole
  14. mug — a face
  15. file — a line of people
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. pit — in a race
  21. chip — for betting
  22. net — for catching
  23. net — in sport
  24. net — after costs

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