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: fall · spring · vault · plane · patient · hide · pit · present

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. present — the time now
  3. vault — a safe
  4. fall — to drop
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fall — the season
  13. spring — of water
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. plane — a tool
  16. fall — to drop
  17. present — a gift
  18. spring — the season
  19. pit — in a race
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. pit — a hole
  23. present — there
  24. spring — a coil

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