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: race · jam · vault · lie · wind · fork · roll · charge

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  5. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. race — a contest
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. wind — to turn a key
  5. wind — moving air
  6. charge — electricity
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. race — the arms race
  9. charge — in control
  10. fork — in a road
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. charge — a price
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. lie — to recline
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. vault — a safe
  20. roll — a cake
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. race — humankind
  23. wind — moving air
  24. roll — a list

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