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: bear · rock · plane · band · vault · march · snap · kick

  1. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. march — the month
  3. march — the month
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. bear — the animal
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. band — a music group
  12. march — music
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. bear — the animal
  17. band — a ring
  18. rock — a stone
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. rock — music
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. snap — to click

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