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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. present — the time now
  3. object — a thing
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. tube — a container
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. present — a gift
  11. patient — calm and waiting
  12. mug — to rob
  13. object — an aim
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. fork — in a road
  16. mug — a cup
  17. roll — a cake
  18. object — to protest
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. mug — a face
  22. roll — a list
  23. present — there
  24. tube — the underground

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