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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. game — a match
  3. board — a committee
  4. bass — the instrument
  5. bass — the fish
  6. last — to go on
  7. lie — to recline
  8. saw — the tool
  9. bass — low music
  10. board — to get on
  11. rule — a law
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. game — wild animals
  19. rule — government
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. last — final
  22. game — a kind of play
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. last — finally

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