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 116 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 cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. prune — to trim
  3. vault — a safe
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. last — finally
  7. branch — of a tree
  8. bark — to shout
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. last — to go on
  14. mark — a trace
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. branch — a division
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. last — final
  22. mark — a grade
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. cabinet — ministers

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