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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. roll — a list
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. roll — a cake
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. stand — to bear
  9. fine — all right
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. net — in sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. vault — a safe
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. land — to come down
  18. net — for catching
  19. net — after costs
  20. land — ground
  21. land — a country
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. pass — to spend time

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