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: bear · fan · pit · jam · saw · vault · snap · fine

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — a safe
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. saw — the tool
  7. snap — to click
  8. saw — the tool
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fine — all right
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. bear — the animal
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pit — a hole
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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