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: band · game · hand · racket · kick · vault · rock · bear

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. rock — a stone
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. band — a music group
  5. rock — music
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bear — the animal
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. hand — help
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. vault — a safe
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. band — a ring
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. game — wild animals
  20. bear — the animal
  21. game — a match
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. game — a kind of play
  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