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. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. field — a subject
  4. pit — a hole
  5. band — a music group
  6. can — a tin
  7. kick — in football
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. can — to be able to
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. band — a ring
  13. pit — in a race
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. field — for sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. field — farmland
  20. dip — to sink
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. can — a tin
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. arm — part of the body

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