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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. file — a document
  4. bank — of a river
  5. tear — to rip
  6. track — a path
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bank — for money
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. season — of the year
  11. season — in sport
  12. track — to keep track
  13. swing — to play on
  14. tear — from crying
  15. file — a line of people
  16. swing — in golf
  17. tear — from crying
  18. file — a tool
  19. bank — for money
  20. swing — music
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wake — a trail
  23. track — a song
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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