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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  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. fork — in a road
  2. fall — to drop
  3. object — an aim
  4. pit — a hole
  5. field — farmland
  6. shower — rain
  7. field — a subject
  8. club — for golf
  9. object — a thing
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. club — a group
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bound — obliged
  15. field — for sport
  16. object — to protest
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bound — tied together
  19. fall — the season
  20. shower — to wash
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bound — certain
  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