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 116 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: game · dip · vault · stock · kick · wax · pound · can

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pound — a weight
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. stock — goods
  8. game — a match
  9. dip — to sink
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. wax — to grow
  12. can — a tin
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. game — wild animals
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. stock — shares
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. kick — in football
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. can — to be able to
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. vault — a safe
  24. can — a tin

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