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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. drill — army training
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — a face
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. drill — a practice
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. kid — child
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. kid — to tease
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. object — to protest
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. drill — the tool
  15. mug — to rob
  16. tube — the underground
  17. object — an aim
  18. tube — a container
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wake — a trail
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. vault — a safe
  23. object — a thing
  24. mug — a cup

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