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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. swing — to play on
  3. charge — a price
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wind — moving air
  7. charge — electricity
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. swing — in golf
  11. charge — in control
  12. spell — letters
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — music
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. snap — to click
  20. rock — a stone
  21. spell — magic
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. swing — 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