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: bound · vault · face · fork · club · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. face — part of the head
  3. vault — a safe
  4. bound — certain
  5. bound — obliged
  6. wind — moving air
  7. vault — an arched ceiling
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bound — tied together
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. fork — in a road
  15. club — for golf
  16. club — a group
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward

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