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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ball is in your ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. court — for sport
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. court — of a king
  7. bat — the animal
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. vault — a safe
  10. rule — a law
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. sharp — clever
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. court — of law
  23. rule — government
  24. sharp — exactly

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