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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. pit — in a race
  4. hand — help
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. rash — hasty
  7. rash — a series
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. roll — a list
  11. pit — a hole
  12. bank — for money
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. roll — a cake
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bank — for money
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. fork — in a road
  20. bank — of a river
  21. hand — in cards
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. fork — to eat with

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