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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. band — a music group
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. pass — a permit
  7. scale — in music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. spring — a coil
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. vault — a safe
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. scale — size or range
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. spring — the season
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. band — a ring
  24. spring — of water

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