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 116 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: bay · vault · ball · lie · kid · game · racket · swing

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. That was a fun ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. kid — child
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. kid — to tease
  13. swing — music
  14. vault — a safe
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. ball — a great time
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — to play on
  20. game — a match
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. swing — in golf
  23. lie — to recline
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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