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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. key — for a lock
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. game — wild animals
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. game — a match
  18. key — the most important part
  19. chair — a leader
  20. vault — a safe
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. branch — a division
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. trunk — of a tree

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