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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. rush — hurry
  3. bank — of a river
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. object — a thing
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. ball — a dance
  9. court — of law
  10. ball — a great time
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. bank — for money
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. bank — for money
  16. court — for sport
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. court — of a king
  19. object — to protest
  20. chest — of your body
  21. chest — of your body
  22. object — an aim
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. vault — a safe

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