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 · sharp · scale · jam · racket · track · wake · stock

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. wake — a trail
  4. scale — in music
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. track — a path
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. scale — size or range
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. stock — shares
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. track — to keep track
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. stock — goods
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. track — a song
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. vault — a safe
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. scale — for weighing

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