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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — in sport
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fine — all right
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — an injury
  8. net — after costs
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. vault — a safe
  11. lean — thin
  12. suit — to fit
  13. net — for catching
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. lean — to bend
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fine — high quality
  21. squash — to crush
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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