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: deal · temple · vault · stick · bat · tube · pop · bowl

  1. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. pop — to visit
  4. tube — a container
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. vault — a safe
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. pop — soda
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bat — the animal
  22. pop — music
  23. tube — the underground
  24. deal — to handle

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