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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. We're on a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. branch — a division
  3. fork — in a road
  4. game — a match
  5. bank — for money
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. roll — a cake
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. suit — in cards
  13. roll — a list
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bank — for money
  16. bank — of a river
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bear — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. game — wild animals
  23. suit — clothes
  24. roll — on a roll

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