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

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. field — farmland
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. tube — the underground
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. rule — government
  12. tube — in a tire
  13. vault — a safe
  14. plane — a tool
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. tube — a container
  17. field — for sport
  18. rule — a law
  19. ground — the earth
  20. firm — a company
  21. stock — shares
  22. ground — a position
  23. stock — goods
  24. field — a subject

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