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: vault · tube · pound · wave · stick · mate · cap · current

  1. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  2. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a hat
  2. current — of water
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. cap — of ice
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. tube — a container
  7. current — electric
  8. pound — a weight
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. cap — a lid
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mate — to breed
  16. vault — a safe
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. current — happening now
  20. tube — the underground
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — a partner
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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