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: cue · stand · vault · club · tube · hand · craft · present

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. present — the time now
  5. craft — a skill
  6. present — there
  7. craft — boats
  8. cue — for pool
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. tube — the underground
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. hand — in cards
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. hand — help
  15. tube — a container
  16. club — for golf
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stand — to bear
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. cue — a signal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. present — a gift
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. cue — a hint

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