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: pass · face · wound · ground · vault · net · cap · arm

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. My father caught me by the ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. He took the fish out of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. pass — a permit
  8. cap — of ice
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. ground — crushed
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. ground — the earth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. cap — a hat
  16. face — to point toward
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. face — to confront
  19. cap — a lid
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. ground — a position
  22. net — after costs
  23. face — part of the head
  24. net — for catching

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