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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bore — to drill
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. spell — a short time
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. spell — magic
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. row — to paddle
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. chair — a leader
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. row — a line
  15. bore — to tire
  16. branch — a division
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. wax — to grow
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. spell — letters
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. wax — in the ear

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