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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. bank — for money
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. drill — army training
  8. drill — a practice
  9. vault — a safe
  10. bank — for money
  11. wind — moving air
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bat — the animal
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. roll — a list
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wind — moving air
  21. swing — in golf
  22. mark — a trace
  23. roll — a cake
  24. swing — music

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