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 116 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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ground — the earth
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. kick — in football
  6. tear — to rip
  7. bass — low music
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. pitch — completely
  10. ground — a position
  11. tear — from crying
  12. squash — to crush
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. tear — from crying
  16. ground — crushed
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. bass — the fish
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. vault — a safe

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