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: game · row · bowl · can · vault · stock · pitcher · arm

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. row — a line
  3. game — a match
  4. vault — a safe
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. can — a tin
  11. row — to paddle
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. stock — shares
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. stock — goods
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. game — wild animals

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