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 hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. chip — for betting
  6. bank — for money
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. scale — size or range
  9. cap — a lid
  10. vault — a safe
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. spring — a coil
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. prune — to trim
  16. cap — of ice
  17. prune — to trim
  18. cap — a hat
  19. bank — of a river
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. scale — in music
  22. bank — for money
  23. spring — the season
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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