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: foot · staff · craft · pound · fan · pop · bay · vault

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. staff — employees
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pop — soda
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. craft — boats
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. pop — music
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — a measure
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pop — to visit
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. vault — a safe
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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