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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. net — for catching
  3. season — of the year
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. net — after costs
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. stand — to bear
  10. chip — to eat
  11. net — in sport
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. chip — for betting
  14. dip — to sink
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. season — in sport
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. hand — help
  19. hand — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. vault — a safe

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