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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. bear — the animal
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. staff — employees
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. foot — a measure
  12. shower — rain
  13. bear — the animal
  14. rule — government
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. rule — a law
  18. shower — to wash
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — a stick
  21. vault — a safe
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. sharp — clever
  24. foot — the bottom

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