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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bass — low music
  5. wound — an injury
  6. vault — a safe
  7. game — wild animals
  8. track — a path
  9. saw — the tool
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — a skill
  15. staff — employees
  16. wound — an injury
  17. staff — a stick
  18. craft — boats
  19. track — a song
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. game — a match
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bass — the fish
  24. track — to keep track

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