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 · game · fine · ball · land · cue · coach · file

  1. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a line of people
  2. game — a match
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ball — a dance
  5. land — a country
  6. vault — a safe
  7. fine — all right
  8. land — ground
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a great time
  14. cue — for pool
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. land — to come down
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. game — wild animals
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. file — a document
  23. fine — high quality
  24. file — a tool

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