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: prune · drill · vault · spring · plane · suit · land · fork

  1. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  2. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. When are we going to ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. plane — a tool
  2. vault — an arched ceiling
  3. land — ground
  4. land — a country
  5. suit — in cards
  6. spring — the season
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. drill — army training
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. spring — of water
  15. prune — to trim
  16. suit — to fit
  17. vault — a safe
  18. spring — a coil
  19. fork — in a road
  20. prune — to trim
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. suit — clothes
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. land — to come down

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