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 ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. staff — a stick
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. staff — employees
  12. stand — to bear
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. mark — a trace
  17. staff — employees
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. vault — a safe
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. mark — a grade
  24. cold — not warm

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