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

Word bank: bay · vault · tear · ruler · spell · cold

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  13. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. cold — not warm
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. tear — from crying
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. spell — a short time
  12. cold — an illness
  13. tear — from crying
  14. spell — magic
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. tear — to rip
  18. spell — letters

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