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. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bark — to shout
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bark — a dog's sound
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. vault — a safe
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. pit — a hole
  17. mug — a face
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. pit — in a race
  21. cold — the Cold War
  22. cold — an illness
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. cold — not warm

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