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 120 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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — in a road
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. pop — to visit
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wound — an injury
  13. pop — music
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. drill — army training
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pop — soda
  18. drill — a practice
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. wound — an injury
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. fork — a garden tool

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