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: field · rush · vault · game · current · prune · bank · fine

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. prune — to trim
  3. rush — hurry
  4. fine — high quality
  5. current — of water
  6. field — for sport
  7. game — a match
  8. fine — all right
  9. bank — of a river
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bank — for money
  12. current — electric
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. current — happening now
  15. vault — a safe
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. field — a subject
  19. bank — for money
  20. field — farmland
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. game — wild animals

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