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: file · wind · cue · vault · stick · race · ground · face

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ground — a position
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. ground — crushed
  7. vault — a safe
  8. wind — moving air
  9. face — to point toward
  10. race — humankind
  11. race — the arms race
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. cue — a hint
  14. cue — for pool
  15. file — a document
  16. face — part of the head
  17. file — a tool
  18. cue — a signal
  19. ground — the earth
  20. wind — moving air
  21. face — to confront
  22. race — a contest
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. file — a line of people

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