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 don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. cap — a hat
  10. rock — music
  11. vault — a safe
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. kid — child
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. kid — to tease
  17. rock — a stone
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. cap — a lid
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bulb — for light
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. temple — a place of worship

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