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. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — child
  2. vault — a safe
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. kid — to tease
  7. band — a music group
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — hurry
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. current — electric
  17. current — of water
  18. band — a ring
  19. current — happening now
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. plane — a tool
  23. bat — the animal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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