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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. bulb — for light
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. mine — for digging
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. net — after costs
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fine — all right
  16. fine — high quality
  17. net — for catching
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. vault — a safe
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. net — in sport
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. bat — 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