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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. can — a tin
  3. wound — an injury
  4. vault — a safe
  5. rule — government
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. can — a tin
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. last — final
  10. can — to be able to
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. last — finally
  14. ground — a position
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. last — to go on
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rule — a law
  19. ground — crushed
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. chair — a leader
  23. ground — the earth
  24. wound — an injury

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