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: march · club · jam · hand · vault · race · mate · temple

  1. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. race — the arms race
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. mate — a partner
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. race — a contest
  8. race — humankind
  9. mate — to breed
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. mate — a friend
  12. club — for golf
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. vault — a safe
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. club — for dancing
  17. hand — in cards
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. march — the month
  20. hand — help
  21. march — music
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. march — the month

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