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: kick · vault · court · arm · content · cue · stem · patient

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. content — happy
  5. kick — in football
  6. court — for sport
  7. content — the amount
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. stem — to come from
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. court — of a king
  17. court — of law
  18. cue — a hint
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. cue — a signal
  21. cue — for pool
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. kick — a thrill

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