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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bulb — for light
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. last — finally
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. bark — to shout
  13. wound — an injury
  14. last — final
  15. last — to go on
  16. bulb — for light
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. vault — a safe
  19. hand — help
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hand — in cards
  23. cue — a signal
  24. wound — an injury

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