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: chest · club · spell · can · object · spring · vault · stem

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. chest — of your body
  3. spring — of water
  4. spell — magic
  5. spell — a short time
  6. club — for dancing
  7. spell — letters
  8. stem — to come from
  9. chest — a box
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. can — a tin
  12. club — a group
  13. object — a thing
  14. vault — a safe
  15. can — a tin
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. spring — a coil
  18. chest — of your body
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. object — to protest
  21. object — an aim
  22. can — to be able to
  23. club — for golf
  24. spring — the season

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