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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. When are we going to ________________?
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. bank — for money
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. bank — for money
  12. file — a document
  13. board — a committee
  14. land — a country
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. land — ground
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. bank — of a river
  20. land — to come down
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — to get on
  23. file — a line of people
  24. file — 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