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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — a hole
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. can — a tin
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. lie — to recline
  12. can — a tin
  13. march — the month
  14. march — music
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. can — to be able to
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pit — in a race
  19. game — wild animals
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. march — the month
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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