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: stick · hide · lean · vault · march · scale · ruler · rest

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — a safe
  3. lean — to bend
  4. rest — a break
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. scale — in music
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — music
  9. lean — thin
  10. rest — what's left
  11. march — the month
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rest — what's left
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. march — the month
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. scale — size or range
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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