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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. can — a tin
  3. capital — a city
  4. capital — money
  5. can — to be able to
  6. bat — the animal
  7. plane — a tool
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. can — a tin
  12. deal — to handle
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. craft — boats
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. craft — a skill
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pound — for dogs

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