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 116 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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. current — electric
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. last — finally
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. current — of water
  18. stock — shares
  19. last — to go on
  20. stock — goods
  21. last — final
  22. vault — a safe
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. current — happening now

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