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: saw · object · vault · club · fan · ruler · lie · court

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. vault — a safe
  3. object — a thing
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of law
  7. club — a group
  8. saw — the tool
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. object — an aim
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. court — of a king
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. lie — to recline
  22. object — to protest
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — an untruth

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