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: bay · hand · vault · charge · shower · rest · spell · rock

  1. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. rock — a stone
  3. hand — help
  4. charge — electricity
  5. hand — in cards
  6. shower — to wash
  7. charge — a price
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. rest — what's left
  10. shower — rain
  11. spell — letters
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. rest — a break
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. spell — magic
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. spell — a short time
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — music
  22. vault — a safe
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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