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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. rest — what's left
  3. pop — music
  4. rest — a break
  5. rock — music
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. net — after costs
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. rock — a stone
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pop — soda
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pop — to visit
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chip — for betting
  19. kid — to tease
  20. net — in sport
  21. kid — child
  22. net — for catching
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chip — to eat

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