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: bank · trunk · bay · bound · kid · vault · object · last

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. object — an aim
  4. bound — tied together
  5. vault — a safe
  6. kid — child
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. kid — to tease
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. last — to go on
  16. bound — obliged
  17. object — a thing
  18. bound — certain
  19. bank — for money
  20. object — to protest
  21. last — final
  22. bank — of a river
  23. last — finally
  24. bank — for money

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