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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. mate — to breed
  9. last — finally
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. fall — to drop
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. band — a music group
  14. mine — for digging
  15. mate — a partner
  16. mine — an explosive
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. last — to go on
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. band — a ring
  22. fall — to drop
  23. fall — the season
  24. mate — a friend

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