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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. fork — in a road
  3. snap — to click
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. scale — in music
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. season — of the year
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. season — in sport
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. club — a group
  20. pit — in a race
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. branch — a division

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