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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bat — the animal
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. deal — to handle
  6. vault — a safe
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. court — of law
  12. lean — to bend
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. court — for sport
  17. rush — hurry
  18. court — of a king
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. lean — thin
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. deal — an agreement

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