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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: club · calf · hide · stock · vault · drill

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. club — a group
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. stock — shares
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. stock — goods
  8. drill — the tool
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. drill — army training
  11. club — for dancing
  12. vault — a safe
  13. drill — a practice
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. club — for golf
  18. vault — an arched ceiling

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