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 120 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. ball — a dance
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. squash — to crush
  11. shower — to wash
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. vault — a safe
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. snap — to click
  18. rock — music
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. rock — a stone
  21. shower — rain
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. ball — a great time
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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