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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. field — for sport
  4. field — a subject
  5. pass — a permit
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. mark — a grade
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. field — farmland
  21. vault — a safe
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. mark — a trace

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