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: content · mark · vault · rule · staff · wax · race · pit

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. pit — in a race
  3. vault — a safe
  4. pit — a hole
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. mark — a grade
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. staff — employees
  9. staff — a stick
  10. staff — employees
  11. mark — a trace
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. race — the arms race
  16. content — happy
  17. rule — government
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. rule — a law
  20. race — a contest
  21. wax — to grow
  22. content — the amount
  23. race — humankind
  24. rule — to rule out

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