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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lie — to recline
  4. bark — to shout
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. capital — a city
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. rule — a law
  9. capital — money
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. ground — a position
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. ground — the earth
  16. ground — crushed
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. stock — goods
  19. mark — a grade
  20. rule — government
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stock — shares
  24. bark — of a tree

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