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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. fall — to drop
  3. vault — a safe
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. scale — size or range
  7. capital — money
  8. scale — in music
  9. fall — the season
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fall — to drop
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. squash — the sport
  19. capital — a city
  20. chair — a leader
  21. squash — to crush
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. scale — for weighing

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