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: leaves · mate · wave · capital · vault · craft

  1. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — a safe
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. capital — money
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. capital — a city
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. mate — a partner
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. craft — a skill
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. mate — to breed
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. mate — a friend

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