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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rule — government
  3. mark — a grade
  4. pass — a permit
  5. fine — high quality
  6. rock — a stone
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. fine — all right
  12. rock — music
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. fork — in a road
  20. mark — a trace
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. content — happy
  24. rule — a law

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