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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. game — a match
  3. chair — a leader
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. staff — employees
  7. net — after costs
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bulb — for light
  10. staff — a stick
  11. net — in sport
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. staff — employees
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. bore — to tire
  16. cell — a phone
  17. game — wild animals
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bore — to drill
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. net — for catching

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