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: rash · firm · vault · bat · current · bound · stand · foot

  1. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bat — the animal
  4. firm — decided
  5. current — electric
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. current — of water
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. firm — a company
  11. bound — certain
  12. stand — to bear
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bound — obliged
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. current — happening now
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. rash — a series
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bound — tied together
  22. firm — steady
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. foot — part of the body

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