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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. face — to confront
  6. bound — certain
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. march — music
  10. bound — tied together
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. game — a match
  13. bound — obliged
  14. march — the month
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. game — wild animals
  17. face — to point toward
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. march — the month
  21. stock — goods
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wake — a trail
  24. stock — shares

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