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 116 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 stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — to drop
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. wound — an injury
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. stem — to come from
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. fall — to drop
  12. scale — in music
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. vault — a safe
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. scale — size or range
  19. kick — in football
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fall — the season
  23. wound — an injury
  24. stem — of a plant

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