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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. land — ground
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. last — to go on
  7. wind — moving air
  8. cue — a hint
  9. cell — in biology
  10. last — finally
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. staff — employees
  13. wind — moving air
  14. cue — a signal
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. land — a country
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. last — final
  21. cell — a phone
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — a stick

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