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: march · fall · bowl · perch · vault · ball · cue · mate

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cue — a signal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. ball — a great time
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mate — a partner
  8. mate — a friend
  9. mate — to breed
  10. fall — the season
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. cue — a hint
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. perch — the fish
  19. march — the month
  20. ball — a dance
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. cue — for pool
  23. march — the month
  24. march — music

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