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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. fine — high quality
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. fine — all right
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. vault — a safe
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. branch — a division
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. bat — the animal

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