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 120 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: rash · vault · fall · file · wind · wave · present · rush

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. vault — a safe
  4. file — a line of people
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. file — a tool
  10. rush — hurry
  11. present — there
  12. wind — moving air
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. rash — hasty
  15. fall — the season
  16. wind — moving air
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. file — a document
  19. fall — to drop
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. present — a gift
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. present — the time now

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