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: stem · jam · rest · coach · board · mark · plane · vault

  1. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. 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. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rest — what's left
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. rest — a break
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. board — a committee
  13. stem — to come from
  14. board — to get on
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. vault — a safe
  17. rest — what's left
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. mark — a trace
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. plane — a tool
  22. mark — a grade
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. 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