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. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. rule — a law
  3. plane — a tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. file — a line of people
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. file — a tool
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. content — the amount
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bear — the animal
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. content — happy
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. press — a publisher
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. press — to push
  22. rule — government
  23. bear — the animal
  24. file — a document

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