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: fine · vault · rule · row · cell · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. rule — government
  6. object — an aim
  7. rule — a law
  8. vault — a safe
  9. fine — high quality
  10. row — a line
  11. object — to protest
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. cell — a phone
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. fine — all right
  18. row — to paddle

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