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

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. capital — a city
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. capital — money
  10. cell — a phone
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cell — in biology
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. wound — an injury
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. wound — an injury
  24. capital — a big letter

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