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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. The ________________ took off on time.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. stock — shares
  5. capital — a city
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. capital — money
  8. bark — to shout
  9. net — for catching
  10. plane — an aircraft
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. plane — a tool
  15. suit — in cards
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. suit — clothes
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stock — goods
  24. suit — to fit

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