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: wake · temple · field · stock · stick · foot · calf · vault

  1. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — side of the head
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. stock — goods
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. field — for sport
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — shares
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. field — farmland
  19. wake — a trail
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. field — a subject
  23. vault — a safe
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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