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 120 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: wave · vault · bound · lean · stock · content · board · temple

  1. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. bound — obliged
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lean — thin
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. stock — goods
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. lean — to bend
  10. board — a committee
  11. vault — a safe
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. content — the amount
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. content — happy
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. board — to get on
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. bound — certain
  24. stock — shares

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