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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. march — music
  6. drill — the tool
  7. vault — a safe
  8. game — wild animals
  9. march — the month
  10. shower — rain
  11. drill — army training
  12. saw — the tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. game — a match
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. shower — to wash
  23. drill — a practice
  24. march — the month

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