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: vault · race · lash · board · safe · pit · bass · scale

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. board — to get on
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. board — a committee
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. race — humankind
  11. pit — a hole
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. bass — low music
  14. race — the arms race
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. vault — a safe
  17. scale — size or range
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bass — the fish
  21. pit — in a race
  22. race — a contest
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. scale — in music

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