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 120 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: wind · vault · foot · mine · bowl · wake · cell · can

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — to be able to
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. can — a tin
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. vault — a safe
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. wind — moving air
  16. cell — a phone
  17. cell — in biology
  18. wake — a trail
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. can — a tin
  22. foot — a measure
  23. mine — for digging
  24. mine — belonging to me

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