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: vault · board · bay · press · content · bowl · racket · chest

  1. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  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. content — happy
  2. press — a publisher
  3. chest — of your body
  4. chest — of your body
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chest — a box
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. board — a committee
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. content — the amount
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. vault — a safe
  16. board — to get on
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. bowl — a football final
  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