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: cap · stick · press · wound · vault · cabinet · pass · prune

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cap — a lid
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. prune — to trim
  9. press — a publisher
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. press — to push
  15. prune — to trim
  16. vault — a safe
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. press — newspapers
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pass — a permit
  23. cap — of ice
  24. cap — a hat

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