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: vault · firm · patient · pound · wake · tube · race · nail

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. race — humankind
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. race — the arms race
  8. pound — a weight
  9. tube — a container
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. race — a contest
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. wake — a trail
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. firm — steady
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. tube — the underground

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