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 came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mug — a face
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mug — to rob
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. roll — a list
  12. lie — to recline
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. roll — a cake
  17. rest — a break
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — in music
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. rest — what's left
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. rest — what's left
  24. scale — size or range

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