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: mug · stick · file · ground · board · craft · vault · cold

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. file — a line of people
  3. mug — to rob
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. cold — an illness
  6. ground — the earth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. board — to get on
  11. ground — crushed
  12. file — a tool
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. file — a document
  15. craft — boats
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. cold — not warm
  18. ground — a position
  19. mug — a face
  20. mug — a cup
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. craft — a skill
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. board — a committee

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