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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. march — the month
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rash — a series
  5. ground — the earth
  6. can — to be able to
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. march — music
  11. rash — hasty
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ground — a position
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. can — a tin
  18. march — the month
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. saw — the tool
  21. vault — a safe
  22. game — a match
  23. can — a tin
  24. ground — crushed

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