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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rest — what's left
  4. pit — a hole
  5. rest — a break
  6. lean — thin
  7. staff — employees
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. lean — to bend
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. staff — employees
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rest — what's left
  17. file — a tool
  18. fine — all right
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. file — a document
  21. file — a line of people
  22. staff — a stick
  23. vault — a safe
  24. fine — high quality

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