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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. suit — in cards
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. suit — clothes
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. row — a line
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. net — in sport
  11. vault — a safe
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. swing — in golf
  14. suit — to fit
  15. swing — music
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. swing — to play on
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. net — for catching
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. dip — to sink
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. row — to paddle

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