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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. ball — a dance
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. file — a tool
  7. file — a document
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. bound — obliged
  10. file — a line of people
  11. rock — a stone
  12. scale — for weighing
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. vault — a safe
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bound — tied together
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. bound — certain
  19. ball — a great time
  20. scale — size or range
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. scale — in 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