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: bass · wound · stock · can · vault · drill · clip · face

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. face — part of the head
  4. clip — a video
  5. wound — an injury
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bass — low music
  8. wound — an injury
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. drill — a practice
  11. stock — goods
  12. face — to confront
  13. can — to be able to
  14. face — to point toward
  15. clip — to cut
  16. can — a tin
  17. clip — for paper
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bass — the fish
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. stock — shares
  22. can — a tin
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. stock — a soup base

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