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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. squash — to crush
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. bat — the animal
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. squash — the sport
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fork — in a road

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