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: capital · lean · pop · bat · bound · trunk · safe · vault

  1. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a tree
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. pop — music
  4. bound — tied together
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bound — obliged
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. pop — to visit
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. capital — a city
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. bat — the animal
  13. pop — soda
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bound — certain
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. vault — a safe
  19. capital — money
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. lean — to bend
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. lean — thin

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