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 120 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. track — a song
  4. mate — a friend
  5. mate — to breed
  6. spell — magic
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pound — a weight
  10. vault — a safe
  11. pop — music
  12. track — a path
  13. craft — boats
  14. mate — a partner
  15. pop — soda
  16. track — to keep track
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. spell — letters
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. spell — a short time
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. craft — a skill

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