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: jam · hand · swing · vault · bat · game · lean · drill

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. bat — the animal
  3. drill — army training
  4. drill — the tool
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. drill — a practice
  7. hand — help
  8. lean — thin
  9. swing — in golf
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. lean — to bend
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. swing — music
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. hand — in cards
  20. swing — to play on
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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