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 ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — the earth
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. bark — to shout
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — in sport
  7. charge — in control
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — for catching
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. vault — a safe
  13. spring — of water
  14. ground — crushed
  15. charge — a price
  16. charge — electricity
  17. spring — a coil
  18. ground — a position
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. spring — the season
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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