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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — of a plant
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. drill — army training
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. pass — a permit
  8. branch — a division
  9. drill — a practice
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. saw — the tool
  13. staff — employees
  14. drill — the tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. bulb — for light
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. arm — a part of something

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