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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. mine — for digging
  5. vault — a safe
  6. craft — boats
  7. mark — a grade
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. mark — a trace
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cold — an illness
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cold — not warm
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. craft — a skill
  23. perch — the fish
  24. bound — tied together

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