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: dip · vault · club · rule · ball · fork · pitcher · mark

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — a trace
  3. club — for dancing
  4. dip — to sink
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. club — a group
  10. rule — a law
  11. vault — a safe
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. club — for golf
  15. mark — a grade
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. ball — a dance
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. ball — a great time
  22. rule — government
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mark — to pay attention

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