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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. rule — government
  3. bank — for money
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. vault — a safe
  8. dip — to sink
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. lie — to recline
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. chair — a leader
  23. rule — a law
  24. dip — to dunk

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