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 120 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: bowl · object · fall · vault · lean · craft · spring · chip

  1. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. vault — a safe
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. spring — the season
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spring — of water
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fall — to drop
  12. craft — boats
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. craft — a skill
  16. object — an aim
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. spring — a coil
  22. lean — thin
  23. fall — the season
  24. lean — to rest against

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