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 116 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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. tear — from crying
  4. board — to get on
  5. tear — to rip
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. rush — hurry
  14. vault — a safe
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. board — a committee
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. tear — from crying
  24. ruler — for measuring

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