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 · kid · rash · suit · saw · scale · squash · coach

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. scale — in music
  3. kid — child
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. rash — hasty
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rash — a series
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. kid — to tease
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. squash — to crush
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. suit — to fit
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. squash — the sport
  24. suit — clothes

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