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: suit · bark · vault · rash · mouse · fall · coach · stand

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  4. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. suit — in cards
  3. bark — to shout
  4. bark — of a tree
  5. fall — to drop
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. fall — to drop
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. rash — hasty
  12. bark — a dog's sound
  13. suit — clothes
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. stand — to bear
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. vault — a safe
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. rash — a series
  22. suit — to fit
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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