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: spring · vault · mark · court · lean · perch · race · land

  1. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. race — the arms race
  2. spring — of water
  3. lean — to bend
  4. spring — a coil
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. mark — a grade
  7. vault — a safe
  8. race — humankind
  9. spring — the season
  10. race — a contest
  11. land — ground
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. mark — a trace
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. court — of law
  19. court — of a king
  20. court — for sport
  21. perch — the fish
  22. lean — thin
  23. land — to come down
  24. land — a country

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