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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. suit — clothes
  4. rash — hasty
  5. cell — in biology
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. clip — for paper
  8. suit — to fit
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. suit — in cards
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. rash — a series
  15. clip — a video
  16. vault — a safe
  17. cell — a phone
  18. clip — to cut
  19. stock — goods
  20. stock — shares
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. safe — a strongbox

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