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: racket · bowl · roll · net · perch · rest · fork · vault

  1. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. net — after costs
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. vault — a safe
  4. rest — a break
  5. fork — in a road
  6. perch — the fish
  7. rest — what's left
  8. net — for catching
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. roll — a list
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. roll — a cake
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. net — in sport
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. perch — for a bird

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