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: vault · bound · scale · march · rush · can · lean · cell

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. can — a tin
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. lean — to bend
  7. scale — size or range
  8. cell — in biology
  9. can — a tin
  10. cell — a phone
  11. march — the month
  12. lean — thin
  13. scale — in music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. march — the month
  16. can — to be able to
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. bound — certain
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. vault — a safe
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. march — music
  24. scale — for weighing

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