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 124 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 teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. vault — a safe
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. drill — army training
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. spell — letters
  7. deal — to handle
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. roll — a cake
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. spell — a short time
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. drill — a practice
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. drill — the tool
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. spell — magic

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