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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. club — for golf
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. kid — child
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. vault — a safe
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. file — a line of people
  11. file — a tool
  12. mug — a face
  13. stock — shares
  14. file — a document
  15. lean — thin
  16. lean — to bend
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. kid — to tease
  19. cue — a signal
  20. club — for dancing
  21. club — a group
  22. stock — goods
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. mug — a cup

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