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: cap · bat · cue · fan · chair · vault · nail · temple

  1. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. cue — a signal
  3. cue — for pool
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. cap — a lid
  6. vault — a safe
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bat — the animal
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. cue — a hint
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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