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: rule · wave · mark · vault · mouse · season · march · stock

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The ________________ market has crashed.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — goods
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rule — government
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. march — the month
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. rule — a law
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. march — the month
  19. march — music
  20. vault — a safe
  21. mark — a trace
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stock — shares
  24. season — in sport

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