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. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The water is too ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. swing — music
  5. scale — size or range
  6. rush — hurry
  7. craft — a skill
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. scale — in music
  10. swing — in golf
  11. vault — a safe
  12. swing — to play on
  13. stock — shares
  14. foot — a measure
  15. cold — an illness
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. cold — not warm
  21. stock — goods
  22. craft — boats
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — a thrill

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