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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. tear — from crying
  3. firm — a company
  4. perch — the fish
  5. firm — decided
  6. tear — to rip
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. tear — from crying
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. firm — steady
  20. bear — the animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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