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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. content — happy
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. saw — the tool
  7. roll — a list
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. chest — of your body
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. roll — a cake
  12. content — the amount
  13. chest — a box
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. rule — government
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. saw — the tool
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. chest — of your body
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rule — a law

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