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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. chip — to eat
  3. mine — for digging
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. capital — a big letter
  6. vault — a safe
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. rock — a stone
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. capital — money
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. chip — for betting
  15. capital — a city
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — a thing
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. rock — music
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. object — to protest
  24. mine — belonging to me

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