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 · suit · lean · saw · field · board · arm · leaves

  1. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. suit — in cards
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. suit — clothes
  5. field — farmland
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. lean — to bend
  8. field — a subject
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. suit — to fit
  15. field — for sport
  16. board — to get on
  17. vault — a safe
  18. lean — thin
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. saw — the tool
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. saw — the tool
  23. board — a committee
  24. arm — part of the body

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