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: leaves · foot · vault · bulb · bear · game · face · fall

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. fall — to drop
  3. fall — to drop
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. face — part of the head
  7. face — to confront
  8. bulb — for light
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. vault — a safe
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. game — wild animals
  15. bear — the animal
  16. fall — the season
  17. face — to point toward
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. game — a match
  23. bear — the animal
  24. foot — a measure

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