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. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — for betting
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. band — a music group
  4. pop — music
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. band — a ring
  7. pop — soda
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lie — to recline
  10. rock — a stone
  11. pop — to visit
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rock — music
  15. vault — a safe
  16. march — music
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. march — the month
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mine — for digging
  24. march — the month

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