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 120 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: vault · can · bore · deal · craft · ball · spell · clip

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. clip — for paper
  3. can — a tin
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. clip — a video
  6. bore — to tire
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — a tin
  9. craft — a skill
  10. spell — a short time
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. clip — to cut
  13. spell — magic
  14. spell — letters
  15. ball — a dance
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ball — a great time
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bore — to drill
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. deal — to handle
  24. craft — a handicraft

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