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 116 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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. ground — a position
  3. ground — the earth
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. suit — to fit
  9. fine — all right
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mark — a trace
  14. capital — money
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. vault — a safe
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. capital — a city
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mark — a grade
  21. ground — crushed
  22. fine — high quality
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. suit — in cards

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