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 116 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 belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. net — in sport
  4. club — for dancing
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. vault — a safe
  7. net — after costs
  8. charge — a price
  9. charge — electricity
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. club — for golf
  14. pass — a permit
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. net — for catching
  18. charge — in control
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. straw — a straw man

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