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: snap · row · racket · vault · suit · sharp · stock · capital

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. row — a line
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. stock — shares
  7. suit — in cards
  8. sharp — clever
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. suit — clothes
  11. stock — goods
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. suit — to fit
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. capital — money
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. capital — a city
  18. vault — a safe
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. snap — to click
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. row — to paddle

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