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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. last — final
  3. wake — a trail
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. straw — dry grass
  7. rush — hurry
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. stem — to come from
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. rock — music
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. last — to go on
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. last — finally
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. staff — employees
  23. rock — a stone
  24. staff — a stick

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