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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. suit — in cards
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — clothes
  7. kid — to tease
  8. staff — employees
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. staff — a stick
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. perch — the fish
  15. kid — child
  16. scale — in music
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — part of the body

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