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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ground — crushed
  3. race — the arms race
  4. ball — a dance
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. vault — a safe
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. fine — high quality
  11. rule — government
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. date — the fruit
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rule — a law
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ground — the earth
  21. race — a contest
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. race — humankind
  24. ground — a position

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