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. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. firm — steady
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. cue — for pool
  6. spring — the season
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mate — to breed
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. mate — a friend
  11. rule — a law
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. firm — a company
  14. cue — a signal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. firm — decided
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. rule — government
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — a safe
  22. spring — a coil
  23. mate — a partner
  24. cue — a hint

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