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 116 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: saw · fan · court · rush · stick · vault · cabinet · wound

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. court — of a king
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. vault — a safe
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. rush — hurry
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. wound — an injury
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wound — an injury
  18. court — for sport
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. court — of law
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. saw — the tool

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