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: vault · net · season · stick · game · snap · land · patient

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. land — to come down
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. land — a country
  11. net — for catching
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. snap — to click
  14. land — ground
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. game — wild animals
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. season — in sport
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. game — a match

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