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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You don't need to ________________ round.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. pop — music
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pit — a hole
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. track — a song
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. track — to keep track
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. track — a path
  20. pit — in a race
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pop — to visit
  24. pop — soda

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