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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. vault — a safe
  3. staff — employees
  4. wake — a trail
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. scale — size or range
  12. staff — a stick
  13. scale — in music
  14. land — a country
  15. staff — employees
  16. rest — a break
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. rest — what's left
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. can — a tin
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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