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 116 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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. tube — a container
  7. mine — for digging
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. chip — for betting
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. ball — a dance
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. bark — to shout
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. chip — to eat
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. bark — a dog's sound
  23. ball — a great time
  24. tube — the underground

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