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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. net — for catching
  6. mug — to rob
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. net — in sport
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. net — after costs
  13. mug — a face
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. bowl — a football final

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