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: rush · leaves · chest · last · vault · fan · fine · stick

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rush — hurry
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. chest — of your body
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. fine — high quality
  11. last — final
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. vault — a safe
  14. fine — all right
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. last — to go on
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. last — finally

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