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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the instrument
  2. roll — a list
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. swing — music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. rule — government
  8. land — ground
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. lie — to recline
  12. vault — a safe
  13. land — a country
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rule — a law
  17. land — to come down
  18. bass — low music
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. roll — a cake
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. rule — to rule out

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