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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. bank — for money
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bank — of a river
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. game — wild animals
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. content — happy
  16. band — a ring
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. bank — for money
  21. content — the amount
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. game — a match
  24. band — a music group

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