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: game · vault · pit · perch · mate · drill · board · foot

  1. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. board — to get on
  2. game — wild animals
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. mate — a friend
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. mate — a partner
  9. drill — a practice
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mate — to breed
  13. board — a committee
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. pit — in a race
  16. foot — a measure
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. pit — a hole
  20. drill — army training
  21. perch — the fish
  22. game — a match
  23. drill — the tool
  24. vault — a safe

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