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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. stock — shares
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. chest — a box
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. degree — an amount
  10. cap — a hat
  11. degree — from a university
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. stock — goods
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. vault — a safe
  16. cap — a lid
  17. degree — temperature
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. chest — of your body
  22. wound — an injury
  23. chest — of your body
  24. cap — of ice

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