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: dip · mate · spring · land · ground · ball · suit · vault

  1. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — to fit
  4. spring — of water
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. ground — a position
  9. vault — a safe
  10. spring — the season
  11. land — a country
  12. suit — in cards
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. land — to come down
  15. mate — to breed
  16. land — ground
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. ball — a great time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. ground — the earth
  21. mate — a friend
  22. dip — to sink
  23. ball — a dance
  24. suit — clothes

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