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: rush · vault · hand · roll · pound · dip · wave · pitcher

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. dip — to sink
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. pound — a weight
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. vault — a safe
  10. roll — a list
  11. rush — hurry
  12. roll — a cake
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hand — help
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. pound — for dogs

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