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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. roll — a cake
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. saw — the tool
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bark — to shout
  9. dip — to sink
  10. vault — a safe
  11. file — a document
  12. prune — to trim
  13. file — a tool
  14. roll — a list
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. file — a line of people
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. tear — from crying
  21. prune — to trim
  22. tear — to rip
  23. saw — the tool
  24. tear — from crying

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