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: vault · rock · saw · capital · pound · board · wound · jam

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He works in a ________________ mill.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. vault — a safe
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. saw — the tool
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. capital — money
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. board — to get on
  14. rock — a stone
  15. capital — a city
  16. wound — an injury
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. rock — music
  19. saw — the tool
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. wound — an injury
  23. board — a committee
  24. pound — a weight

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