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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. march — music
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. prune — to trim
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. march — the month
  10. prune — to trim
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. fine — all right
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rule — government
  16. fine — high quality
  17. rule — a law
  18. shower — to wash
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. march — the month
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. shower — rain
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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