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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. prune — to trim
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. game — a match
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. mark — a trace
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. saw — the tool
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. rush — hurry
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. game — wild animals

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