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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. row — to paddle
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. row — a line
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. vault — a safe
  8. club — for golf
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. game — a match
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. club — for dancing
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bass — the fish
  21. game — wild animals
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. club — a group
  24. bass — low music

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