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: suit · club · race · date · jam · vault · mine · face

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. club — for dancing
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. face — to confront
  5. mine — for digging
  6. race — the arms race
  7. face — part of the head
  8. vault — a safe
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. date — the fruit
  13. race — a contest
  14. club — for golf
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. club — a group
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. face — to point toward
  23. race — humankind
  24. suit — to fit

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