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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. He is an ace ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. chip — to eat
  4. tear — from crying
  5. chip — for betting
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. foot — a measure
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. tear — from crying
  11. pit — in a race
  12. tear — to rip
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. squash — to crush
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. pit — a hole
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bowl — a football final

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