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: fork · pitcher · bulb · vault · lie · cue · field · firm

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bulb — for light
  4. cue — for pool
  5. field — a subject
  6. field — for sport
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. firm — a company
  9. fork — in a road
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. cue — a hint
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. firm — decided
  16. lie — to recline
  17. bulb — for light
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. firm — steady
  20. vault — a safe
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. cue — a signal
  23. field — farmland
  24. lie — an untruth

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