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: board · cap · vault · mug · sharp · spell · bank · hand

  1. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. vault — a safe
  3. spell — magic
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. board — to get on
  6. cap — a hat
  7. mug — a cup
  8. mug — a face
  9. board — a committee
  10. cap — of ice
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — for money
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — help
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. cap — a lid
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. mug — to rob

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