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 120 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 ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. vault — a safe
  3. race — a contest
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. rule — government
  6. race — humankind
  7. rule — a law
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. stem — to come from
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rash — hasty
  13. land — a country
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. land — ground
  18. rash — a series
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. land — to come down

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