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: board · wound · stick · vault · deal · wake · ball · press

  1. Did you ________________ the button?
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. press — to push
  2. ball — a dance
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. deal — to handle
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. press — a publisher
  12. wake — a trail
  13. vault — a safe
  14. board — to get on
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. press — newspapers
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. wound — an injury
  20. ball — a great time
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a committee

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