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

Word bank: mate · vault · race · cue · scale · club

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. scale — size or range
  3. mate — a partner
  4. race — the arms race
  5. cue — a signal
  6. race — a contest
  7. cue — a hint
  8. club — a group
  9. scale — in music
  10. race — humankind
  11. cue — for pool
  12. club — for dancing
  13. mate — a friend
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. mate — to breed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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