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: bank · charge · board · bowl · pop · vault · jam · season

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. charge — electricity
  5. charge — in control
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — a safe
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. season — of the year
  11. bank — of a river
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. season — in sport
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. charge — a price
  16. board — a committee
  17. pop — soda
  18. vault — in gymnastics
  19. pop — to visit
  20. bank — for money
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. board — to get on
  23. bank — for money
  24. pop — 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