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: scale · fork · vault · bulb · content · jam · coach · march

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. fork — in a road
  6. scale — in music
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. vault — a safe
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bulb — for light
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. scale — size or range
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. bulb — for light
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. march — the month
  21. content — happy
  22. content — the amount
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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