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. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. perch — the fish
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. deal — to handle
  9. race — humankind
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. race — the arms race
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. drill — army training
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cell — in biology
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. cell — a phone
  18. drill — the tool
  19. mark — a grade
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. drill — a practice
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. race — a contest
  24. lie — to recline

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