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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. Did you ________________ the button?
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. craft — a skill
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. press — a publisher
  5. race — a contest
  6. press — to push
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fall — to drop
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. board — to get on
  11. board — a committee
  12. vault — a safe
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. press — newspapers
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — boats
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. race — the arms race
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. race — humankind
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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