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 116 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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. can — to be able to
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. mine — for digging
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. scale — in music
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. scale — size or range
  20. bat — the animal
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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