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 120 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: mark · bat · pitcher · rush · stock · branch · vault · temple

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. stock — goods
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. stock — shares
  12. bat — the animal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. branch — a division
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. rush — hurry

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