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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. race — humankind
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — to fit
  6. clip — a video
  7. object — to protest
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. race — a contest
  11. race — the arms race
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. march — the month
  15. object — a thing
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. clip — for paper
  18. object — an aim
  19. suit — in cards
  20. march — the month
  21. vault — a safe
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. clip — to cut
  24. march — 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