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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. squash — the sport
  3. roll — a cake
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. roll — a list
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. charge — in control
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. charge — a price
  12. rock — a stone
  13. foot — a measure
  14. charge — electricity
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — music
  18. vault — a safe
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fall — to drop
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. fall — to drop

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