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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. tube — a container
  3. clip — a video
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. spell — a short time
  6. tube — the underground
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. shower — rain
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. spell — letters
  11. shower — to wash
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. clip — to cut
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. clip — for paper
  21. pitch — completely
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. shower — a meteor shower
  24. vault — a safe

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