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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. rule — government
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. field — a subject
  7. bank — for money
  8. field — farmland
  9. bank — of a river
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. mine — for digging
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. firm — steady
  14. field — for sport
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. spell — letters
  19. rule — a law
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bank — for money
  22. spell — magic
  23. firm — decided
  24. firm — a company

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