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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. object — an aim
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. kid — to tease
  6. kid — child
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fork — in a road
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. object — to protest
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. row — to paddle
  15. row — a line
  16. scale — in music
  17. object — a thing
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. scale — size or range
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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