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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. net — for catching
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. staff — employees
  7. staff — employees
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. net — in sport
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. scale — in music
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. row — a line
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. suit — to fit
  17. snap — to click
  18. net — after costs
  19. suit — clothes
  20. suit — in cards
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. staff — a stick
  23. scale — size or range
  24. row — to paddle

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