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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Where did you ________________ them?
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. fork — in a road
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. mug — a cup
  9. march — the month
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. pass — a permit
  13. mug — to rob
  14. mark — a trace
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. deal — to handle
  17. march — the month
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. march — music
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. mug — a face

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