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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. roll — a list
  11. bore — to tire
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. mark — a trace
  15. key — in music
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. key — the most important part
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. roll — a cake
  23. key — for a lock
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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