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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. land — to come down
  9. rest — what's left
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. land — a country
  12. key — for a lock
  13. land — ground
  14. key — in music
  15. game — a match
  16. rest — what's left
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. rest — a break
  19. game — wild animals
  20. key — the most important part
  21. wake — a trail
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chair — a leader
  24. plane — a tool

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