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: bat · vault · chair · bank · pound · cabinet

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. vault — a safe
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. chair — a leader
  5. bank — of a river
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. pound — a weight
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. bank — for money
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. bank — for money
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bat — the animal

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