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: safe · vault · wound · lie · cell · mate · capital · cabinet

  1. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. capital — a city
  2. vault — a safe
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. mate — a friend
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cell — in biology
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. capital — money
  12. mate — a partner
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wound — an injury
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mate — to breed
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. lie — to recline
  22. wound — an injury
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. cell — a phone

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