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: nail · tube · cell · arm · bore · vault · mark · stock

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. arm — a part of something
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stock — shares
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. mark — a grade
  11. cell — a phone
  12. tube — a container
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. vault — a safe
  15. tube — the underground
  16. cell — in biology
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. bore — to drill
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. bore — to tire
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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