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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. kid — to tease
  3. fork — in a road
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. kid — child
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. season — in sport
  9. staff — employees
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. object — to protest
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. current — electric
  15. staff — a stick
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. current — of water
  18. current — happening now
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. staff — employees
  22. object — a thing
  23. season — of the year
  24. season — to add flavour

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