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: ball · vault · mine · scale · deal · toast

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. scale — size or range
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. ball — a dance
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. ball — a great time
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mine — for digging
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. deal — to handle
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. toast — bread
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — for weighing

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