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: swing · club · fall · bat · vault · craft

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. swing — music
  3. craft — a skill
  4. fall — to drop
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fall — to drop
  8. club — a group
  9. club — for dancing
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. club — for golf
  12. craft — boats
  13. fall — the season
  14. swing — in golf
  15. bat — the animal
  16. bat — in an idiom
  17. swing — to play on
  18. bat — for baseball

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