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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. race — humankind
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. drill — a practice
  7. clip — for paper
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bat — the animal
  10. cue — a hint
  11. cue — for pool
  12. drill — army training
  13. cue — a signal
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. race — the arms race
  16. lean — to bend
  17. clip — a video
  18. race — a contest
  19. clip — to cut
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. lie — to recline
  22. lean — thin
  23. drill — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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