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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bank — for money
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. press — newspapers
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — a weight
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. ball — a dance
  14. field — farmland
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. field — for sport
  18. press — to push
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bank — of a river
  21. ball — a great time
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. field — a subject
  24. press — a publisher

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