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 · temple · jam · stem · swing · bat · scale · rule

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stem — to come from
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. swing — in golf
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. scale — size or range
  8. swing — to play on
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. scale — in music
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. rule — a law
  22. bat — the animal
  23. rule — government
  24. swing — music

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