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: file · march · bank · stock · net · coach · cabinet · vault

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. march — the month
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. file — a document
  6. net — for catching
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bank — for money
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bank — of a river
  11. vault — a safe
  12. file — a line of people
  13. stock — goods
  14. march — the month
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. net — in sport
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. net — after costs
  21. march — music
  22. bank — for money
  23. stock — shares
  24. file — a tool

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