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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. He is an ace ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. pitcher — in baseball
  4. race — humankind
  5. race — the arms race
  6. spell — magic
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. roll — a cake
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. roll — a list
  14. spell — letters
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. spell — a short time
  22. wake — a trail
  23. race — a contest
  24. pound — a weight

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