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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. drill — the tool
  4. drill — army training
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. row — to paddle
  7. saw — the tool
  8. court — of law
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. row — a line
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. vault — a safe
  14. saw — the tool
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. drill — a practice
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. court — of a king
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. court — for sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bound — obliged

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