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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. pound — a weight
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. ground — crushed
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. ground — a position
  16. wake — a trail
  17. fall — the season
  18. fall — to drop
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. vault — a safe
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. fall — to drop
  24. rush — hurry

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