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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. mug — to rob
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. mug — a cup
  12. vault — a safe
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rule — a law
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. squash — to crush
  21. rule — government
  22. mug — a face
  23. cell — in biology
  24. bear — the animal

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