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 120 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. That was a fun ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. pit — a hole
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fork — in a road
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. firm — decided
  12. firm — steady
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wax — to grow
  16. game — wild animals
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. rush — hurry
  19. firm — a company
  20. pit — in a race
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. rush — a thrill

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