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 120 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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bound — tied together
  3. craft — boats
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. degree — an amount
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. last — finally
  8. bound — certain
  9. bound — obliged
  10. fall — to drop
  11. last — to go on
  12. degree — from a university
  13. degree — temperature
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. last — final
  16. craft — a skill
  17. root — the cause
  18. root — of a word
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. root — of a plant
  21. fall — the season
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. fall — to drop
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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