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: object · wind · wake · tear · bound · vault

  1. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — a thing
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. tear — to rip
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. tear — from crying
  11. wind — moving air
  12. object — to protest
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. bound — certain
  15. bound — obliged
  16. vault — a safe
  17. wind — moving air
  18. tear — from crying

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