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: craft · pitch · sharp · spell · vault · wake · stock · band

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. craft — boats
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stock — shares
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. spell — magic
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. spell — letters
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. wake — a trail
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. stock — goods
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. pitch — completely
  19. sharp — clever
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. band — a ring
  24. band — a music group

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