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: stock · field · vault · mark · wax · bulb · shower · saw

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The ________________ market has crashed.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. mark — a trace
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. shower — to wash
  8. stock — shares
  9. field — farmland
  10. bulb — for light
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. stock — goods
  14. shower — rain
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. wax — to grow
  19. vault — a safe
  20. field — for sport
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. field — a subject

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