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 120 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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. craft — boats
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. vault — a safe
  16. craft — a skill
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. pit — in a race
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. mine — for digging

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