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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. wax — to grow
  6. vault — a safe
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. key — for a lock
  9. clip — to cut
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. deal — to handle
  12. clip — a video
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. kick — in football
  15. board — a committee
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. squash — to crush
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. board — to get on
  22. key — in music
  23. clip — for paper
  24. wax — in the ear

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