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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. branch — a division
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. perch — the fish
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — to recline
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. snap — to click
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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