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'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — for money
  2. cue — for pool
  3. deal — to handle
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. vault — a safe
  8. kid — to tease
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. cue — a hint
  11. bank — of a river
  12. cue — a signal
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pop — music
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. pop — to visit
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money
  19. pop — soda
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. bat — the animal
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kid — child

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