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 120 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 · chip · spell · snap · key · cold · bark · kick

  1. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. key — in music
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. cold — not warm
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — to shout
  10. chip — for betting
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. key — for a lock
  14. snap — to click
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. spell — magic
  17. spell — letters
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. key — the most important part
  20. kick — in football
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. cold — an illness
  23. vault — a safe
  24. spell — a short time

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