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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. fall — the season
  7. dip — to sink
  8. lean — thin
  9. face — to point toward
  10. fall — to drop
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fall — to drop
  14. vault — a safe
  15. lean — to bend
  16. row — a line
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. row — to paddle
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. face — part of the head
  23. face — to confront
  24. dip — a sauce

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