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 · board · vault · court · wind · dip · safe · snap

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  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. wind — moving air
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. court — of a king
  5. board — a committee
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. dip — to sink
  8. board — to get on
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. court — for sport
  12. track — a song
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. snap — to click
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. track — to keep track
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — a safe
  20. court — of law
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. track — a path
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  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