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 116 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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. tube — a container
  3. current — electric
  4. firm — decided
  5. can — a tin
  6. firm — steady
  7. firm — a company
  8. spring — of water
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. current — of water
  12. tube — the underground
  13. can — a tin
  14. court — of a king
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. court — for sport
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. can — to be able to
  20. court — of law
  21. spring — a coil
  22. spring — the season
  23. current — happening now
  24. coach — a trainer

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