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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. charge — a price
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. cell — in biology
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. present — a gift
  10. fall — the season
  11. cell — a phone
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. current — of water
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. current — electric
  16. current — happening now
  17. vault — a safe
  18. charge — electricity
  19. band — a music group
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. band — a ring
  22. present — there
  23. charge — in control
  24. present — the time now

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