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: cue · vault · clip · march · game · ball · patient · pass

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. march — the month
  6. cue — for pool
  7. clip — a video
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. cue — a signal
  14. march — music
  15. ball — a great time
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. cue — a hint
  18. pass — a permit
  19. clip — to cut
  20. clip — for paper
  21. march — the month
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. game — wild animals
  24. ball — a dance

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