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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'll be taking the ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. march — music
  3. march — the month
  4. march — the month
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. tube — a container
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — to crush
  9. tube — the underground
  10. bound — certain
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. stock — shares
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stock — goods
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. bound — obliged
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bowl — a dish

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