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: ruler · file · vault · club · kick · band · stick · content

  1. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — in gymnastics
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. vault — a safe
  4. content — the amount
  5. file — a tool
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. club — for golf
  11. content — happy
  12. club — for dancing
  13. kick — in football
  14. band — a music group
  15. file — a line of people
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. club — a group
  21. content — videos and posts
  22. band — a ring
  23. file — a document
  24. ruler — a monarch

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