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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. vault — a safe
  4. net — for catching
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. net — in sport
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. bat — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. chip — for betting
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. branch — a division
  19. bass — the fish
  20. stand — to bear
  21. net — after costs
  22. bass — low music
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. chip — to eat

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