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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. band — a ring
  5. club — for golf
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. perch — the fish
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. vault — a safe
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. cue — a signal
  14. band — a music group
  15. club — a group
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. mine — for digging
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. club — for dancing
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. cue — for pool
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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