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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. 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. fork — in a road
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. march — the month
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. march — the month
  9. hand — in cards
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. scale — in music
  12. march — music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. sharp — clever
  16. hand — help
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. 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