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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. present — there
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. kick — in football
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. present — the time now
  9. stem — to come from
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. vault — a safe
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rash — hasty
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rash — a series
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. present — a gift
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. wake — a trail

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