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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cabinet — a cupboard
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. field — a subject
  7. bank — for money
  8. wax — to grow
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. wake — a trail
  13. bank — of a river
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. field — farmland
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — a safe
  20. branch — a division
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. bank — for money
  23. field — for sport
  24. wind — moving air

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