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 116 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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. You don't need to ________________ round.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. fall — the season
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fall — to drop
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. field — for sport
  10. lie — to recline
  11. vault — a safe
  12. plane — a tool
  13. board — to get on
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pop — soda
  16. board — a committee
  17. pop — to visit
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. field — a subject
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. field — farmland
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. pop — music

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