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: stick · vault · press · drill · key · fork · race · perch

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. race — a contest
  3. key — for a lock
  4. press — newspapers
  5. race — humankind
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. drill — a practice
  9. vault — a safe
  10. drill — army training
  11. key — in music
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. race — the arms race
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. key — the most important part
  18. fork — in a road
  19. press — a publisher
  20. perch — the fish
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. press — to push

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