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: tear · suit · wind · vault · leaves · arm · rest · spring

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. suit — in cards
  5. spring — the season
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wind — moving air
  9. tear — to rip
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. spring — a coil
  13. spring — of water
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. wind — moving air
  18. tear — from crying
  19. tear — from crying
  20. suit — to fit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. rest — what's left
  23. suit — clothes
  24. arm — a part of something

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