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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  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. cabinet — ministers
  3. season — of the year
  4. pit — in a race
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. row — a line
  8. vault — a safe
  9. stem — to come from
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. season — in sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pop — music
  20. pop — to visit
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. row — to paddle
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  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