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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · suit · wind · vault · leaves · arm

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wind — moving air
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — a safe
  8. suit — clothes
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. suit — to fit
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. tear — to rip
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — from crying
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. suit — in cards
  18. leaves — of a tree

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