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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. root — of a plant
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. net — in sport
  5. snap — to click
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fine — all right
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. bore — to tire
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bark — of a tree
  16. net — after costs
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. net — for catching
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. root — of a word
  23. fine — high quality
  24. root — the cause

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