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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. cell — a phone
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. vault — a safe
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. rock — music
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — a thing
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. perch — the fish
  19. object — an aim
  20. kick — in football
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. rock — a stone

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