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: deal · vault · leaves · trunk · foot · fork · present · bat

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. fork — in a road
  9. present — there
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bat — the animal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. present — the time now
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. vault — a safe
  22. foot — a measure
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. foot — the bottom

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