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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. pit — a hole
  6. race — a contest
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stock — goods
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. wake — a trail
  12. stock — shares
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. current — of water
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — electric
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. mine — belonging to me
  21. current — happening now
  22. race — the arms race
  23. race — humankind
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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