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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. court — of a king
  6. rest — what's left
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rest — a break
  12. rest — what's left
  13. field — for sport
  14. court — for sport
  15. field — farmland
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. vault — a safe
  19. court — of law
  20. field — a subject
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. branch — a division
  23. rush — hurry
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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