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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. charge — a price
  4. charge — in control
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. spell — magic
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. spell — letters
  10. kid — child
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. ball — a great time
  15. kid — to tease
  16. ball — a dance
  17. roll — a cake
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. charge — electricity
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. spell — a short time
  24. roll — a list

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