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 muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  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. track — a path
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — a skill
  5. charge — electricity
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rest — a break
  8. ground — a position
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. rest — what's left
  11. charge — a price
  12. vault — a safe
  13. ground — the earth
  14. charge — in control
  15. ground — crushed
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. track — a song
  18. track — to keep track
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. rest — what's left
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. craft — boats
  23. cabinet — ministers
  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