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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. object — to protest
  5. track — to keep track
  6. object — a thing
  7. track — a song
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. object — an aim
  10. file — a document
  11. wax — to grow
  12. vault — a safe
  13. track — a path
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. file — a tool
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. branch — a division
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. fine — all right
  22. pass — a permit
  23. file — a line of people
  24. fine — high quality

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