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: ground · bass · rule · safe · hand · mine · ball · vault

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mine — for digging
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — crushed
  11. ground — a position
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. hand — in cards
  14. rule — a law
  15. bass — low music
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. ball — a great time
  18. ground — the earth
  19. rule — government
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a dance
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. hand — help

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