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: wave · vault · board · saw · cap · fork · mug · capital

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. mug — a cup
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. saw — the tool
  5. saw — the tool
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — a safe
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. capital — money
  18. capital — a city
  19. board — to get on
  20. fork — in a road
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. mug — a face
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cap — a hat

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