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: suit · leaves · mark · bowl · pass · net · season · vault

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. net — after costs
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. suit — in cards
  8. net — in sport
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. vault — a safe
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. net — for catching
  16. mark — a trace
  17. pass — a permit
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. suit — clothes
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. suit — to fit
  23. season — of the year
  24. bowl — to roll

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