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: firm · band · vault · ball · craft · plane · leaves · rule

  1. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — government
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. firm — decided
  4. firm — steady
  5. band — a music group
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. band — a ring
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. craft — a skill
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. ball — a great time
  17. craft — boats
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. rule — a law
  21. vault — a safe
  22. firm — a company
  23. ball — a dance
  24. plane — a tool

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