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 116 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: bat · leaves · charge · lie · vault · march · chip · staff

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. march — the month
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. staff — employees
  7. bat — the animal
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. march — music
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. chip — to eat
  12. staff — employees
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lie — to recline
  15. charge — in control
  16. charge — a price
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chip — in a computer
  19. charge — electricity
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. staff — a stick
  22. march — the month
  23. vault — a safe
  24. chip — for betting

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