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. Have you met the new head ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. vault — a safe
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. rush — hurry
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. prune — to trim
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. roll — a cake
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. tube — a container
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. tube — the underground
  23. roll — a list
  24. prune — to trim

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