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: wound · dip · object · net · bay · charge · wake · vault

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. object — to protest
  3. charge — electricity
  4. wake — a trail
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. charge — a price
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. object — an aim
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. charge — in control
  11. object — a thing
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. wound — an injury
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. net — in sport
  21. net — after costs
  22. vault — a safe
  23. net — for catching
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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