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 am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. mark — a grade
  5. stock — shares
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. board — to get on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. craft — a skill
  13. fork — in a road
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. cell — in biology
  16. board — a committee
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. stock — goods
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. cell — a phone

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