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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. swing — to play on
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — a hole
  9. court — of a king
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. court — for sport
  13. hand — help
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. swing — in golf
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. swing — music
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. sharp — clever
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. pit — in a race
  24. court — of law

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