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 · tube · foot · bay · vault · mouse · ground · swing

  1. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'll be taking the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — a container
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. ground — crushed
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. ground — the earth
  13. swing — to play on
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rash — a series
  17. foot — a measure
  18. vault — a safe
  19. tube — the underground
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. ground — a position
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. swing — in golf
  24. rash — on the skin

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