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: lean · stick · vault · stand · charge · press · bore · roll

  1. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. charge — a price
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — electricity
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. bore — to drill
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. roll — a list
  11. bore — to tire
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stand — to bear
  14. press — to push
  15. lean — thin
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. press — newspapers
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. press — a publisher
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — a safe

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