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 · pound · wave · vault · bat · temple

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  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. pound — to hit hard
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. pound — a weight
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. ball — a great time
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. vault — a safe
  17. bat — the animal
  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