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. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bank — for money
  3. charge — electricity
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. craft — boats
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. tear — from crying
  11. charge — a price
  12. row — a line
  13. bank — for money
  14. tear — from crying
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. lie — to recline
  20. tear — to rip
  21. charge — in control
  22. craft — a skill
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. bank — of a river

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