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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. season — of the year
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. season — in sport
  9. track — to keep track
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. track — a path
  13. track — a song
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. stock — shares
  16. stock — goods
  17. lie — to recline
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — a trail
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — a dish

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