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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. David sat on the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. face — to point toward
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. swing — music
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. swing — to play on
  8. kid — to tease
  9. scale — in music
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. swing — in golf
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bear — the animal
  18. face — part of the head
  19. board — to get on
  20. face — to confront
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. board — a committee

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