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: mark · pound · vault · plane · ball · lean · bulb · mine

  1. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ball — a dance
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pound — a weight
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. lean — thin
  16. bulb — for light
  17. plane — a tool
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. mark — a grade
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a trace
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a great 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