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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. bound — obliged
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. race — a contest
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bore — to drill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. rock — music
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. race — the arms race
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a great time
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. race — humankind
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. bore — to tire
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bound — tied together
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. vault — a safe
  24. bound — certain

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