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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. game — wild animals
  4. wake — a trail
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. drill — the tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. game — a match
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. drill — army training
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. drill — a practice
  21. vault — a safe
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  24. hide — to keep secret

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