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: charge · club · stock · snap · bank · press · vault · date

  1. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. club — for dancing
  3. charge — a price
  4. press — newspapers
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. snap — to click
  8. press — to push
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. charge — electricity
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. bank — for money
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. date — the fruit
  16. press — a publisher
  17. stock — shares
  18. bank — for money
  19. charge — in control
  20. stock — goods
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. club — for golf
  23. vault — a safe
  24. club — a group

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