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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. rest — what's left
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. spring — of water
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. current — of water
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. cap — a hat
  10. plane — a tool
  11. rest — a break
  12. spring — a coil
  13. current — electric
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. cap — of ice
  17. cap — a lid
  18. current — happening now
  19. spring — the season
  20. rest — what's left
  21. craft — boats
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. craft — a handicraft

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