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 120 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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mate — a partner
  4. hand — help
  5. mate — a friend
  6. rest — what's left
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. season — in sport
  9. hand — in cards
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. key — in music
  12. tube — the underground
  13. rest — a break
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mate — to breed
  16. rest — what's left
  17. tube — a container
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — the most important part
  21. kid — to tease
  22. season — of the year
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kid — child

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