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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wax — for sculpting
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. firm — decided
  6. suit — in cards
  7. drill — army training
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. charge — in control
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. charge — electricity
  12. drill — a practice
  13. fall — to drop
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wax — to grow
  17. charge — a price
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fall — the season
  20. firm — a company
  21. drill — the tool
  22. fall — to drop
  23. suit — to fit
  24. trunk — of a tree

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