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: vault · track · hand · lean · fan · craft · foot · pass

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. pass — a permit
  5. hand — in cards
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. track — to keep track
  11. lean — thin
  12. foot — a measure
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hand — help
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. lean — to bend
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. vault — a safe
  24. track — a song

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