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: race · coach · chip · stem · vault · jam

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  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. coach — pulled by horses
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. vault — a safe
  4. chip — for betting
  5. race — the arms race
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. chip — to eat
  8. stem — to come from
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. stem — of a plant
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. race — humankind
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. race — a contest
  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