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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. toast — bread
  3. tube — the underground
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. last — finally
  9. wind — moving air
  10. last — to go on
  11. net — in sport
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. wind — moving air
  14. tube — a container
  15. net — for catching
  16. roll — a list
  17. cue — a signal
  18. cue — for pool
  19. net — after costs
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. cue — a hint
  23. last — final
  24. roll — a cake

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