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: lean · mate · saw · chip · bulb · vault · fall · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — for betting
  3. fall — the season
  4. saw — the tool
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. vault — a safe
  11. saw — the tool
  12. lean — to bend
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. fall — to drop
  15. mate — to breed
  16. chip — to eat
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. fall — to drop
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bulb — for light
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bulb — for light
  24. lean — thin

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