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: wake · tear · kick · cell · vault · press

  1. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. press — a publisher
  5. wake — a trail
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. press — to push
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. kick — in football
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cell — a phone
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. tear — from crying
  15. tear — to rip
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. press — newspapers
  18. tear — from crying

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