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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. shower — to wash
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. fork — in a road
  8. shower — rain
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — a law
  16. board — a committee
  17. content — happy
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. content — the amount
  20. prune — to trim
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. board — to get on
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. board — a flat piece

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