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: drill · vault · scale · stock · pit · pass · chair · cell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cell — a phone
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. pit — in a race
  6. cell — in biology
  7. vault — a safe
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. drill — army training
  11. chair — a leader
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pit — a hole
  15. drill — the tool
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. stock — goods
  20. pass — a permit
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. scale — size or range
  23. scale — in music
  24. drill — a practice

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