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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. stock — goods
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bulb — for light
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pit — in a race
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. charge — electricity
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. vault — a safe
  11. kid — child
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. charge — a price
  15. stock — shares
  16. bulb — for light
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. ball — a dance
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. charge — in control
  24. pit — a hole

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