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

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. hand — help
  3. fork — in a road
  4. deal — to handle
  5. foot — a measure
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. game — a match
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. bore — to drill
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. chest — a box
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. game — wild animals
  16. hand — in cards
  17. chest — of your body
  18. chest — of your body
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bore — to tire
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. deal — a big deal

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