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. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. rock — a stone
  4. swing — music
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. chest — a box
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chest — of your body
  10. fall — the season
  11. swing — to play on
  12. net — in sport
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bulb — for light
  16. vault — a safe
  17. fall — to drop
  18. swing — in golf
  19. chest — of your body
  20. hand — help
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bulb — for light
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. rock — music

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