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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. tube — a container
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. tube — the underground
  8. firm — a company
  9. vault — a safe
  10. staff — employees
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. firm — decided
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. fall — the season
  16. bulb — for light
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. dip — to sink
  20. fall — to drop
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. firm — steady
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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