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: vault · perch · temple · ground · mark · bowl · bear · band

  1. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. ground — the earth
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. ground — crushed
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. perch — the fish
  20. mark — a trace
  21. ground — a position
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bowl — a dish

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