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: march · vault · bowl · firm · fine · ground · jam · bank

  1. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. march — the month
  3. ground — a position
  4. firm — a company
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. fine — all right
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. vault — a safe
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. march — music
  13. ground — the earth
  14. firm — steady
  15. bank — for money
  16. firm — decided
  17. ground — crushed
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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