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 120 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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. lie — to recline
  4. mark — a trace
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. sharp — clever
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. track — to keep track
  10. track — a song
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. stand — to bear
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. track — a path
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. vault — a safe
  24. kid — child

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