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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. mine — for digging
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. temple — a place of worship

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