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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. file — a line of people
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cap — of ice
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. cap — a hat
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. cap — a lid
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. kick — in football
  13. vault — a safe
  14. mug — a cup
  15. mug — a face
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. file — a document
  19. file — a tool
  20. mug — to rob
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. stand — to bear

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