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. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — to come from
  2. pitch — completely
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. key — in music
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. rule — a law
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bat — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. key — the most important part
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. stem — a stem cell
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bark — to shout

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