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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. rock — music
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. pop — soda
  8. content — happy
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pop — to visit
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rock — a stone
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ground — the earth
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. content — the amount
  20. pop — music
  21. ground — crushed
  22. ground — a position
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bowl — a dish

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