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: ground · spring · club · lean · vault · hide · dip · bay

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. club — for dancing
  3. lean — to bend
  4. spring — a coil
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. spring — the season
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — the earth
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. dip — to sink
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lean — thin
  19. ground — crushed
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. club — a group
  23. club — for golf
  24. vault — a safe

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