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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mark — a trace
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. vault — a safe
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bark — a dog's sound
  7. row — a line
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. row — to paddle
  12. field — for sport
  13. field — a subject
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. mark — a grade
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. lie — to recline
  19. foot — a measure
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bark — to shout
  22. field — farmland
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. bark — of a tree

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