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: stock · pass · nail · cold · sharp · vault · face · calf

  1. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — goods
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. cold — not warm
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. face — to confront
  9. vault — a safe
  10. stock — shares
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. face — part of the head
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. sharp — clever
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. cold — an illness
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. face — to point toward
  24. pass — a permit

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