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: vault · kick · cue · net · club · bark · jam · trunk

  1. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — a thrill
  2. club — a group
  3. net — for catching
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. club — for golf
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. cue — for pool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. kick — in football
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. net — after costs
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bark — to shout
  18. club — for dancing
  19. cue — a signal
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. net — in sport
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. cue — a hint
  24. bark — of a tree

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