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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. craft — a skill
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. can — a tin
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — the amount
  7. content — happy
  8. net — for catching
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. can — a tin
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. can — to be able to
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — in music
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. net — in sport
  18. net — after costs
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. vault — a safe
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. craft — a handicraft

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