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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. mug — a cup
  4. chair — a leader
  5. race — humankind
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. last — to go on
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fork — in a road
  14. race — the arms race
  15. last — finally
  16. mark — a grade
  17. mark — a trace
  18. mug — to rob
  19. last — final
  20. race — a contest
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. mug — a face

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