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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. tear — to rip
  3. vault — a safe
  4. tear — from crying
  5. court — of law
  6. key — the most important part
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. key — for a lock
  9. firm — decided
  10. court — of a king
  11. content — happy
  12. content — the amount
  13. object — a thing
  14. key — in music
  15. staff — employees
  16. staff — a stick
  17. tear — from crying
  18. firm — steady
  19. court — for sport
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. firm — a company
  22. staff — employees
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — an aim

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