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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. net — for catching
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. last — to go on
  8. ground — a position
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. ground — crushed
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. ground — the earth
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. net — after costs
  19. vault — a safe
  20. last — final
  21. net — in sport
  22. perch — the fish
  23. chip — to eat
  24. last — finally

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