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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He was locked up in a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mate — to breed
  5. file — a document
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. mate — a partner
  9. cell — in a prison
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. bass — the fish
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. land — ground
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. land — to come down
  20. mate — a friend
  21. land — a country
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bass — low music
  24. cell — in biology

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