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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. press — newspapers
  3. chip — for betting
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. capital — money
  6. fall — to drop
  7. game — a match
  8. capital — a city
  9. chip — to eat
  10. land — ground
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. pit — in a race
  17. land — a country
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. land — to come down
  20. press — to push
  21. pit — a hole
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. game — wild animals
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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