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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. row — to paddle
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rash — a series
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. ground — the earth
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. row — a line
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ground — crushed
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rash — hasty
  17. ground — a position
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. pop — soda
  22. wound — an injury
  23. pop — music
  24. calf — a young animal

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