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: mate · track · board · vault · can · cabinet · band · hand

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. track — a song
  3. mate — a partner
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. track — to keep track
  6. mate — a friend
  7. can — a tin
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. can — to be able to
  10. can — a tin
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. board — a committee
  13. vault — a safe
  14. hand — in cards
  15. hand — help
  16. band — a music group
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a ring
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — to get on
  22. band — a rubber band
  23. mate — to breed
  24. track — a path

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