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: wind · vault · rash · stand · ball · bound · lean · ruler

  1. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. rash — hasty
  3. bound — certain
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wind — moving air
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. bound — obliged
  12. ball — a dance
  13. wind — moving air
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. stand — to bear
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lean — thin
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. ball — a great time
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. bound — tied together
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. rash — a series
  24. stand — for spectators

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