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: fork · drill · pitcher · rock · club · present · mine · bulb

  1. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  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. drill — the tool
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. club — for golf
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. club — for dancing
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rock — music
  15. drill — a practice
  16. present — a gift
  17. present — the time now
  18. drill — army training
  19. club — a group
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mine — for digging
  22. present — there
  23. pitcher — a jug
  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