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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. drill — the tool
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. drill — army training
  5. race — a contest
  6. cue — a signal
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. swing — music
  10. drill — a practice
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. swing — to play on
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. vault — a safe
  16. bat — the animal
  17. rule — a law
  18. swing — in golf
  19. rule — government
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. race — humankind
  23. race — the arms race
  24. cue — a hint

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