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: rash · vault · cabinet · ground · game · club · foot · pop

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ground — a position
  4. club — for dancing
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pop — soda
  8. foot — a measure
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pop — to visit
  12. club — for golf
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. pop — music
  16. game — a match
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. rash — a series
  19. ground — the earth
  20. ground — crushed
  21. vault — a safe
  22. club — a group
  23. game — wild animals
  24. rash — hasty

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