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 116 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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. mug — a face
  3. bound — tied together
  4. bound — obliged
  5. bound — certain
  6. root — of a word
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. fork — in a road
  9. root — the cause
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. season — in sport
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. root — of a plant
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. mug — a cup
  18. bark — to shout
  19. season — of the year
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. plane — a tool
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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