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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. wound — an injury
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. band — a ring
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — the tool
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wound — an injury
  12. vault — a safe
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a music group
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. drill — army training
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. temple — a place of worship

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