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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a great time
  3. firm — decided
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. fall — to drop
  10. firm — a company
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. race — the arms race
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. vault — a safe
  16. pound — a weight
  17. firm — steady
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fall — the season
  21. race — a contest
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — a series
  24. race — humankind

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