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 · capital · dip · fall · bound · stand · bore · wind

  1. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to dunk
  2. wind — moving air
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. capital — a city
  6. bound — certain
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. wind — moving air
  10. bore — to tire
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. vault — a safe
  13. fall — to drop
  14. capital — money
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bore — to drill
  18. stand — to bear
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. fall — the season
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bound — obliged

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