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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. kick — in football
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. cue — a signal
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. roll — a list
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. rash — hasty
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. roll — a cake
  20. cue — a hint
  21. rash — a series
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. cue — for pool
  24. arm — a part of something

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