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 · vault · lie · wave · current · foot · tear · coach

  1. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. fork — in a road
  5. tear — from crying
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. current — happening now
  12. current — of water
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. current — electric
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. tear — to rip
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. tear — from crying
  24. foot — a measure

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