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: ground · vault · fall · foot · suit · nail · kid · fan

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — clothes
  3. vault — a safe
  4. ground — a position
  5. kid — to tease
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. suit — in cards
  9. fall — to drop
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. ground — the earth
  13. ground — crushed
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. kid — child
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. fall — to drop
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. foot — a measure
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. suit — to fit

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