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: stand · current · rest · drill · craft · face · cap · vault

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. vault — a safe
  3. rest — what's left
  4. current — happening now
  5. drill — army training
  6. cap — a lid
  7. face — to point toward
  8. current — of water
  9. cap — a hat
  10. face — to confront
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. craft — boats
  15. drill — a practice
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. current — electric
  19. cap — of ice
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — a skill
  23. drill — the tool
  24. face — part of the head

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