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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. press — newspapers
  6. bear — the animal
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bear — the animal
  11. cap — a lid
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. press — a publisher
  14. cap — a hat
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. cap — of ice
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. pitch — completely
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. press — to push
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. bat — the animal
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. chair — a leader

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