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 120 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: content · vault · charge · kid · mouse · hide · plane · hand

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. hand — help
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. plane — a tool
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. kid — to tease
  9. charge — electricity
  10. content — the amount
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. kid — child
  13. content — happy
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. charge — in control
  17. charge — a price
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. hand — in cards

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