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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. squash — to crush
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — the earth
  7. object — to protest
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ground — crushed
  10. spell — a short time
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — an aim
  13. spell — magic
  14. bore — to drill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. vault — a safe
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bore — to tire
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. spell — letters
  24. bore — gave birth

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