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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. net — in sport
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. swing — music
  6. object — a thing
  7. object — an aim
  8. pop — to visit
  9. swing — in golf
  10. pop — soda
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. land — a country
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. land — to come down
  15. land — ground
  16. swing — to play on
  17. net — for catching
  18. net — after costs
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. vault — a safe
  22. object — to protest
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pop — music

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