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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. scale — in music
  3. spring — the season
  4. spring — of water
  5. fork — in a road
  6. mug — a face
  7. pit — a hole
  8. rule — government
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. spring — a coil
  12. rule — a law
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. scale — size or range
  15. mug — to rob
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. mug — a cup
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. stand — to bear
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pit — a fruit stone
  23. pit — in a race
  24. ruler — for measuring

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