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: row · leaves · kid · ground · cabinet · vault · press · plane

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the button?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. kid — child
  3. press — to push
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. plane — a tool
  7. ground — a position
  8. press — newspapers
  9. ground — the earth
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. press — a publisher
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. row — to paddle
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. vault — a safe
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. row — a line
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. ground — crushed
  22. kid — to tease
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. cabinet — ministers

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