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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. capital — money
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. capital — a city
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. rock — a stone
  10. stem — to come from
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fall — to drop
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. mine — for digging
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. fall — the season
  23. vault — a safe
  24. rock — music

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