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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. fine — high quality
  3. object — a thing
  4. object — to protest
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. object — an aim
  7. drill — a practice
  8. vault — a safe
  9. drill — the tool
  10. game — a match
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. drill — army training
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. game — wild animals
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. fine — all right
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. sharp — clever
  24. sharp — with an edge

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