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: chest · coach · sharp · wave · rest · stick · vault · race

  1. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. race — a contest
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. chest — of your body
  5. rest — what's left
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. chest — of your body
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. race — the arms race
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. vault — a safe
  13. rest — a break
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. chest — a box
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. rest — what's left
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. race — humankind
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. sharp — clever

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