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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  10. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  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. mark — a trace
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. board — a committee
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. rest — a break
  6. cold — an illness
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cold — the Cold War
  10. cell — in biology
  11. cold — not warm
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. can — a tin
  14. cell — a phone
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. board — to get on
  17. can — a tin
  18. rest — what's left
  19. rest — what's left
  20. snap — to click
  21. can — to be able to
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  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