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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bulb — for light
  7. saw — the tool
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mug — a face
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bulb — for light
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. stock — shares
  15. mug — a cup
  16. fall — the season
  17. plane — a tool
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. stock — goods
  23. squash — the sport
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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