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: track · vault · kid · dip · chest · object · bulb · leaves

  1. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. kid — to tease
  5. bulb — for light
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. object — to protest
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. track — a song
  12. chest — a box
  13. object — an aim
  14. track — a path
  15. track — to keep track
  16. chest — of your body
  17. vault — a safe
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. kid — child
  21. object — a thing
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. dip — to sink
  24. dip — a sauce

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