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: fine · mark · toast · pop · vault · kid

  1. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. vault — a safe
  3. pop — to visit
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. pop — music
  7. fine — high quality
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. kid — child
  11. pop — soda
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. fine — all right
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. mark — a grade
  18. toast — bread

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