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: spell · cell · foot · chip · craft · mug · vault · face

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. cell — a phone
  3. mug — a face
  4. chip — for betting
  5. mug — to rob
  6. chip — to eat
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. face — to confront
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — magic
  13. craft — boats
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. face — part of the head
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. foot — a measure
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. craft — a skill
  21. cell — in biology
  22. face — to point toward
  23. spell — letters
  24. mug — a cup

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