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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. snap — to click
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. vault — a safe
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. charge — electricity
  10. capital — a city
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. charge — in control
  14. ground — a position
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. capital — money
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. ground — the earth
  22. ground — crushed
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. charge — a price

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