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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. rush — hurry
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. deal — to handle
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. fork — in a road
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. deal — an agreement

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