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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  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. net — for catching
  2. swing — in golf
  3. vault — a safe
  4. cold — an illness
  5. swing — to play on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rest — a break
  10. cold — the Cold War
  11. swing — music
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. net — after costs
  14. net — in sport
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. rest — what's left
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. cold — not warm
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  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