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: ball · wound · lie · vault · band · stand · content · file

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. file — a line of people
  5. file — a tool
  6. stand — to bear
  7. file — a document
  8. wound — an injury
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. content — the amount
  16. ball — a great time
  17. band — a music group
  18. content — happy
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. wound — an injury
  21. band — a ring
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. lie — to recline
  24. ball — a dance

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