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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. track — a path
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. court — of a king
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. court — of law
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. rule — government
  13. rule — a law
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. branch — a division
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. court — for sport
  21. track — a song
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. track — to keep track
  24. fork — in a road

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