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: cold · leaves · track · wave · pit · club · mark · vault

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mark — a grade
  5. pit — a hole
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. pit — in a race
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. cold — not warm
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. mark — a trace
  13. cold — an illness
  14. vault — a safe
  15. track — a song
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for dancing
  19. track — a path
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. track — to keep track
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. club — for golf

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