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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. file — a document
  4. spring — of water
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — a tin
  7. rule — a law
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rule — government
  13. season — in sport
  14. season — of the year
  15. vault — a safe
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. spring — the season
  19. can — to be able to
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. file — a tool
  24. spring — a coil

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