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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. capital — money
  3. kick — in football
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. track — to keep track
  6. capital — a city
  7. hand — in cards
  8. track — a song
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. stock — shares
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. hand — help
  17. stock — goods
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. bulb — for light
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. stand — to bear
  24. track — a path

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