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 · chip · mug · rock · wave · date · file · fan

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a face
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. rock — music
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. mug — a cup
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. file — a tool
  13. file — a document
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. vault — a safe
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — for betting
  20. mug — to rob
  21. file — a line of people
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. fan — a supporter

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