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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. kid — child
  4. kid — to tease
  5. pit — a hole
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. rock — a stone
  8. key — for a lock
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — a list
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. fork — in a road
  17. can — to be able to
  18. pit — in a race
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. key — in music
  21. bark — to shout
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. roll — a cake

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