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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bear — the animal
  4. vault — a safe
  5. mine — for digging
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bear — the animal
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. last — final
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. branch — a division
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. last — to go on
  23. last — finally
  24. cabinet — ministers

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