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: stem · key · cell · vault · swing · fall

  1. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. key — the most important part
  3. swing — to play on
  4. swing — in golf
  5. stem — to come from
  6. swing — music
  7. cell — in biology
  8. fall — the season
  9. stem — a stem cell
  10. fall — to drop
  11. vault — a safe
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. key — for a lock
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. fall — to drop
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. cell — a phone

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