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: vault · swing · cabinet · charge · pound · chair · saw · straw

  1. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. vault — a safe
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. swing — music
  6. saw — the tool
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. pound — a weight
  9. charge — a price
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. chair — a leader
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. saw — the tool
  17. charge — in control
  18. swing — to play on
  19. swing — in golf
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — electricity
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a professorship

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