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: ruler · hide · bank · stock · wave · lash · vault · bass

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. bank — of a river
  7. stock — shares
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. bass — low music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. bank — for money
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bank — for money
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stock — goods
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. vault — a safe
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — to lash 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