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 120 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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — a coil
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. spring — the season
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. vault — a safe
  8. firm — decided
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bound — tied together
  13. tear — from crying
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. firm — steady
  17. firm — a company
  18. plane — a tool
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. tear — from crying
  21. spring — of water
  22. chip — for betting
  23. tear — to rip
  24. ruler — for measuring

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