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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. saw — the tool
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. fork — in a road
  5. current — happening now
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. bulb — for light
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. field — farmland
  14. field — a subject
  15. current — electric
  16. field — for sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. snap — to click
  21. current — of water
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. leaves — to go away

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