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: perch · drill · tube · hide · vault · mine · swing · chair

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. drill — the tool
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. tube — a container
  8. drill — army training
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. drill — a practice
  11. chair — a leader
  12. tube — the underground
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. swing — to play on
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. perch — the fish
  24. perch — for a bird

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