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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. foot — a measure
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. wake — a trail
  8. craft — boats
  9. chest — of your body
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. chest — of your body
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. chest — a box
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bass — the fish
  24. bass — low music

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