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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fork — in a road
  3. ball — a great time
  4. track — to keep track
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. march — the month
  7. ball — a dance
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. plane — a tool
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. track — a song
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. date — the fruit
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. march — the month
  22. track — a path
  23. march — music
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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