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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. game — wild animals
  3. can — to be able to
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — a safe
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pop — music
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. season — of the year
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. game — a match
  14. can — a tin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. can — a tin
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. season — in sport
  20. pit — in a race
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — to visit

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