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 120 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: bat · straw · saw · dip · chest · leaves · vault · safe

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — a box
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. vault — a safe
  7. chest — of your body
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. bat — the animal
  11. dip — to sink
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. saw — the tool
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chest — of your body
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. bat — in an idiom
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. saw — the tool
  24. dip — to dunk

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