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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. stem — of a plant
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. tube — the underground
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. vault — a safe
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. tube — a container
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. stock — shares
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rush — hurry
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — goods
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. racket — for tennis

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