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: pass · club · fine · bear · can · hand · vault · cold

  1. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. vault — a safe
  3. can — a tin
  4. fine — all right
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. can — a tin
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. cold — an illness
  11. fine — high quality
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cold — not warm
  15. hand — help
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. can — to be able to
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. club — a group
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. club — for dancing
  24. bear — the animal

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