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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. cap — of ice
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. game — wild animals
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. cap — a lid
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cap — a hat
  21. mine — for digging
  22. prune — to trim
  23. game — a match
  24. wave — with your hand

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