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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pound · kick · vault · wave · rash · band

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rash — hasty
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kick — in football
  11. rash — a series
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. pound — for dogs

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