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: ground · wound · drill · current · root · plane · fork · vault

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — the tool
  2. drill — a practice
  3. wound — an injury
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. ground — a position
  11. root — the cause
  12. current — electric
  13. fork — in a road
  14. ground — crushed
  15. current — happening now
  16. root — of a plant
  17. ground — the earth
  18. current — of water
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. drill — army training
  21. wound — an injury
  22. plane — a tool
  23. vault — a safe
  24. root — of a word

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