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 120 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: bore · file · stick · club · vault · bowl · prune · ruler

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. file — a tool
  4. club — for dancing
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. file — a line of people
  8. vault — a safe
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. club — for golf
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. club — a group
  17. file — a document
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. vault — an arched ceiling
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. prune — to trim

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