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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. pit — a hole
  3. row — to paddle
  4. bulb — for light
  5. row — a line
  6. tear — to rip
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. perch — the fish
  16. fork — in a road
  17. pit — in a race
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. tear — from crying
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. tear — from crying
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bulb — for light

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