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. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. tear — to rip
  3. tear — from crying
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. tear — from crying
  6. pop — soda
  7. object — an aim
  8. pop — music
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. swing — to play on
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. object — a thing
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. capital — a city
  15. vault — a safe
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. pop — to visit
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. capital — money
  20. snap — to click
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. swing — music
  23. object — to protest
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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