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: lean · leaves · chair · saw · bay · content · object · vault

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. content — happy
  5. chair — a leader
  6. saw — the tool
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. saw — the tool
  10. content — the amount
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. object — an aim
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — to protest
  18. vault — a safe
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. lean — thin

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