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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. mug — a cup
  3. mug — a face
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mug — to rob
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fall — to drop
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. vault — a safe
  16. game — a match
  17. ball — a great time
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — the season
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. fall — to drop

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