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: wound · deal · temple · vault · straw · firm · rock · fall

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. fall — to drop
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. vault — a safe
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. firm — steady
  8. wound — an injury
  9. firm — a company
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. fall — the season
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. deal — to handle
  15. firm — decided
  16. rock — music
  17. fall — to drop
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. wound — an injury
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rock — a stone

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