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: vault · wind · temple · board · present · wax

  1. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. temple — side of the head
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. board — to get on
  7. vault — a safe
  8. present — there
  9. wax — to grow
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. board — a committee
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. present — the time now
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. wind — moving air
  18. present — a gift

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