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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. row — to paddle
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. net — in sport
  9. row — a line
  10. mate — a friend
  11. net — after costs
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cell — in biology
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. mate — to breed
  16. staff — employees
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. net — for catching
  22. vault — a safe
  23. cell — a phone
  24. staff — a stick

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