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 ________________ took off on time.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. press — to push
  4. bound — tied together
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. rest — what's left
  7. roll — a cake
  8. pop — to visit
  9. bound — certain
  10. rest — a break
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rest — what's left
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. chest — of your body
  15. pop — music
  16. roll — a list
  17. press — newspapers
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. press — a publisher
  20. plane — a tool
  21. bound — obliged
  22. chest — of your body
  23. pop — soda
  24. chest — a box

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