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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. drill — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. drill — a practice
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. wax — to grow
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rush — hurry
  12. stand — to bear
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. cap — a hat
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. cap — a lid
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. plane — a tool
  22. drill — army training
  23. charge — in control
  24. charge — a price

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