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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. staff — employees
  3. spell — a short time
  4. rock — music
  5. tear — from crying
  6. spell — magic
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. spell — letters
  9. staff — employees
  10. chip — to eat
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. club — a group
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chip — for betting
  16. vault — a safe
  17. club — for golf
  18. rock — a stone
  19. tear — to rip
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. tear — from crying
  24. staff — a stick

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