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: field · vault · deal · ruler · bulb · hand · rule · bore

  1. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — an arched ceiling
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. field — farmland
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. bore — to tire
  6. deal — to handle
  7. vault — a safe
  8. bulb — for light
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. field — a subject
  12. hand — help
  13. rule — government
  14. field — for sport
  15. hand — in cards
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. rule — a law
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bore — to drill

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