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 116 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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. key — for a lock
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. cold — not warm
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. face — part of the head
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. cap — of ice
  9. face — to confront
  10. scale — in music
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cap — a lid
  13. mine — for digging
  14. scale — size or range
  15. key — in music
  16. face — to point toward
  17. rule — government
  18. cold — an illness
  19. cold — the Cold War
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. cap — a hat
  22. rule — a law
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. key — the most important part

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