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: object · game · vault · mouse · sharp · wind · scale · bank

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. scale — in music
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. bank — of a river
  5. wind — moving air
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. object — a thing
  11. sharp — clever
  12. object — an aim
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. game — wild animals
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bank — for money
  17. game — a match
  18. bank — for money
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. object — to protest
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. sharp — exactly

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