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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. board — to get on
  6. land — to come down
  7. wound — an injury
  8. land — ground
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — a safe
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. fork — in a road
  13. land — a country
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. wound — an injury
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. can — to be able to
  18. dip — to sink
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. kid — to tease
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. board — a committee
  23. fork — to eat with
  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