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: racket · vault · fork · suit · nail · bark · wound · chest

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. vault — a safe
  5. fork — in a road
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wound — an injury
  10. suit — to fit
  11. bark — to shout
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wound — an injury
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. suit — clothes
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. chest — a box
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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