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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bound — tied together
  3. sharp — clever
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. pop — soda
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. plane — a tool
  9. bound — certain
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. bound — obliged
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. ground — the earth
  15. vault — a safe
  16. branch — a division
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ground — crushed
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. ground — a position
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. pop — music

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