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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stem — to come from
  7. key — for a lock
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. mine — for digging
  12. kick — in football
  13. season — of the year
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. rule — a law
  16. season — in sport
  17. pound — a weight
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. stem — of a plant
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rule — government
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. key — in music

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