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's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — of ice
  4. hand — in cards
  5. capital — money
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. wound — an injury
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rest — a break
  11. wound — an injury
  12. hand — help
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. face — part of the head
  15. rest — what's left
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. vault — a safe
  19. capital — a city
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rest — what's left

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