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. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. bore — to drill
  3. last — to go on
  4. fork — in a road
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. last — finally
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. spell — a short time
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. spell — letters
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. hand — help
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. spell — magic
  17. bore — to tire
  18. pitch — completely
  19. hand — in cards
  20. last — final
  21. plane — a tool
  22. stand — to bear
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. plane — in geometry

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