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 · hide · hand · content · chip · jam · bass · nail

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. hand — in cards
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. chip — to eat
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. vault — a safe
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. content — the amount
  16. chip — for betting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bass — low music
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. hand — help
  23. content — happy
  24. bass — the fish

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