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: vault · roll · wax · drill · rock · key · racket · fork

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. drill — army training
  9. vault — a safe
  10. key — in music
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. rock — music
  13. fork — in a road
  14. roll — a list
  15. wax — for sculpting
  16. drill — the tool
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. key — for a lock
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. drill — a practice
  21. key — the most important part
  22. wax — to grow
  23. rock — a stone
  24. fork — a garden tool

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