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 · stick · last · chip · swing · row · vault · firm

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. vault — a safe
  3. firm — a company
  4. chip — to eat
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. swing — music
  7. row — to paddle
  8. last — to go on
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. tear — from crying
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. row — a line
  14. swing — in golf
  15. tear — from crying
  16. chip — for betting
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. firm — steady
  20. swing — to play on
  21. firm — decided
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. last — final
  24. tear — to rip

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