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: board · snap · stick · chair · key · vault · swing · press

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Did you ________________ the button?
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. swing — to play on
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. key — for a lock
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chair — a leader
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. key — in music
  10. board — to get on
  11. snap — to click
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. board — a committee
  17. press — to push
  18. swing — in golf
  19. press — a publisher
  20. key — the most important part
  21. swing — music
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. vault — a safe
  24. press — newspapers

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