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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. bass — the fish
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. snap — to click
  7. field — for sport
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. net — after costs
  10. bass — low music
  11. net — in sport
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. stock — shares
  16. field — a subject
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. net — for catching
  19. stock — goods
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. field — farmland
  24. chair — a leader

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