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 124 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. cell — a phone
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. march — the month
  6. mark — a trace
  7. kick — with a leg
  8. march — the month
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pop — to visit
  11. march — music
  12. vault — a safe
  13. object — an aim
  14. cell — in biology
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. pop — music
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. pop — soda
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. kick — in football

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