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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. tube — a container
  5. vault — a safe
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. fall — to drop
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. mark — a trace
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. lean — thin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. fall — to drop
  15. snap — to click
  16. mark — a grade
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lean — to bend
  19. swing — in golf
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. swing — music
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. fall — the season
  24. swing — to play on

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