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: mark · vault · can · cell · shower · foot · press · suit

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cell — a phone
  4. suit — to fit
  5. can — a tin
  6. shower — rain
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. press — a publisher
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. cell — in biology
  14. press — newspapers
  15. can — a tin
  16. shower — to wash
  17. press — to push
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. vault — a safe
  20. suit — in cards
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. foot — a measure
  23. suit — clothes
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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