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: vault · stem · march · kick · land · stick · plane · shower

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. shower — rain
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. land — to come down
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. land — a country
  10. stem — to come from
  11. march — the month
  12. march — the month
  13. shower — to wash
  14. march — music
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. vault — a safe
  19. land — ground
  20. plane — a tool
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. kick — in football

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