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: stand · bulb · fine · clip · straw · march · cue · vault

  1. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. cue — for pool
  4. march — the month
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. march — music
  7. cue — a hint
  8. fine — high quality
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. stand — to bear
  12. cue — a signal
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. march — the month
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — for light
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. clip — a video
  19. clip — to cut
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. fine — all right
  23. clip — for paper
  24. stand — on your feet

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