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: court · game · vault · bulb · dip · sharp · leaves · fall

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. game — a match
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. court — of a king
  8. fall — to drop
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fall — to drop
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. court — for sport
  13. court — of law
  14. vault — a safe
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. dip — to sink
  17. sharp — clever
  18. fall — the season
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bulb — for light
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bulb — for light
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. sharp — exactly

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