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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. season — of the year
  5. season — in sport
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. bank — of a river
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. fork — in a road
  13. clip — to cut
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. bank — for money
  19. bark — to shout
  20. clip — for paper
  21. clip — a video
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bank — for money
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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