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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fall — to drop
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cue — a signal
  6. cue — a hint
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. suit — clothes
  12. hand — help
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bound — obliged
  17. cue — for pool
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. fall — the season
  20. bound — tied together
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bound — certain
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. suit — to fit

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