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 function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. vault — a safe
  3. file — a tool
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. file — a document
  6. stem — to come from
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bulb — for light
  13. file — a line of people
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. craft — boats
  17. bulb — for light
  18. content — the amount
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. press — to push
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. content — happy
  24. stem — of a plant

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