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: rule · mug · bat · current · vault · fall · cabinet · ball

  1. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. current — of water
  3. fall — the season
  4. current — electric
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. ball — a great time
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. vault — a safe
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. fall — to drop
  17. current — happening now
  18. mug — a face
  19. bat — the animal
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rule — government
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. rule — a law

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