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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. land — ground
  3. vault — a safe
  4. firm — a company
  5. land — to come down
  6. kid — to tease
  7. fine — all right
  8. face — part of the head
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. firm — steady
  12. fine — high quality
  13. face — to point toward
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. land — a country
  17. kid — child
  18. firm — decided
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. face — to confront
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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