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: vault · stock · firm · file · race · wound · face · mark

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. file — a line of people
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. face — to confront
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. race — humankind
  7. wound — an injury
  8. stock — shares
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stock — goods
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wound — an injury
  13. face — part of the head
  14. race — the arms race
  15. file — a document
  16. firm — steady
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. firm — decided
  22. firm — a company
  23. face — to point toward
  24. race — a contest

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