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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. That was a fun ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. game — a match
  3. row — a line
  4. wax — to grow
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. track — to keep track
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. track — a song
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. vault — a safe
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. stand — to bear
  16. game — wild animals
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. row — to paddle
  19. track — a path
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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