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 120 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. wound — an injury
  3. wound — an injury
  4. capital — money
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. object — an aim
  15. capital — a city
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. chip — for betting
  21. object — a thing
  22. vault — a safe
  23. object — to protest
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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