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: deal · cell · vault · shower · pitcher · chest

  1. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. vault — a safe
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. chest — of your body
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. chest — a box
  10. chest — of your body
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. shower — rain
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. cell — in biology
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. cell — a phone
  18. shower — to wash

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