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 116 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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. stem — to come from
  4. fork — in a road
  5. land — to come down
  6. key — in music
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. bulb — for light
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bulb — for light
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. tube — a container
  14. land — ground
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. land — a country
  18. tube — the underground
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. rush — hurry
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. key — for a lock

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