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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  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. game — a match
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. game — wild animals
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. march — the month
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. march — the month
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  12. vault — a safe
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. march — music
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. kick — in football
  19. prune — to trim
  20. prune — to trim
  21. kid — to tease
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. straw — dry grass
  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