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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. vault — a safe
  3. key — for a lock
  4. rule — a law
  5. club — a group
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. rush — hurry
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. key — in music
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. key — the most important part
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. club — for golf
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rule — government
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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