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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. What do you think of the new ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fall — the season
  6. scale — size or range
  7. net — for catching
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. net — in sport
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. rest — a break
  12. scale — in music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a hole
  15. net — after costs
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rest — what's left
  24. cabinet — ministers

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