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: mine · plane · swing · scale · vault · sharp · fan · band

  1. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. vault — a safe
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. scale — size or range
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — music
  10. swing — to play on
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. band — a ring
  18. band — a music group
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. scale — in music
  23. sharp — clever
  24. mine — for digging

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