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: fork · cabinet · field · vault · charge · pit · pitcher · plane

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. pit — in a race
  3. charge — electricity
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. plane — a tool
  8. charge — a price
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. charge — in control
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. pit — a hole
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. field — a subject
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. field — farmland
  22. field — for sport
  23. fork — in a road
  24. pitcher — a jug

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