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 124 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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. wake — a trail
  6. pit — in a race
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. press — to push
  10. press — a publisher
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. foot — a measure
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. pit — a hole
  16. perch — the fish
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. press — newspapers
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. mine — for digging
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. wake — before a funeral

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