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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. pound — a weight
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. hand — help
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. hand — in cards
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. rush — hurry
  18. prune — to trim
  19. shower — to wash
  20. straw — a straw man
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. vault — a safe
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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