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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. drill — army training
  5. bound — tied together
  6. shower — rain
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. kid — child
  9. stem — to come from
  10. cell — a phone
  11. bound — certain
  12. vault — a safe
  13. drill — a practice
  14. kid — to tease
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. bound — obliged
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. cell — in biology
  23. drill — the tool
  24. shower — to wash

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