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: arm · vault · fork · club · date · ruler · march · fall

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. vault — a safe
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. fall — the season
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fall — to drop
  10. march — the month
  11. club — for dancing
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. date — the fruit
  16. fall — to drop
  17. march — the month
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. march — music
  20. club — a group
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. club — for golf
  24. fork — in a road

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