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: ball · mouse · fall · current · branch · press · vault · rock

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rock — music
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. press — a publisher
  7. ball — a dance
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. vault — a safe
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. fall — to drop
  12. press — newspapers
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. current — happening now
  16. fall — the season
  17. ball — a great time
  18. current — of water
  19. press — to push
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. current — electric
  24. branch — a division

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