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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. field — farmland
  5. mine — for digging
  6. vault — a safe
  7. kick — in football
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. tear — to rip
  15. last — finally
  16. last — final
  17. last — to go on
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. field — for sport
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. tear — from crying
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. field — a subject
  24. tear — from crying

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