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. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chest — a box
  4. chest — of your body
  5. vault — a safe
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. board — a committee
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. pop — music
  10. stock — shares
  11. current — electric
  12. chest — of your body
  13. current — of water
  14. pop — soda
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. bass — low music
  18. current — happening now
  19. stock — goods
  20. board — to get on
  21. bass — the fish
  22. pop — to visit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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