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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Have you settled on a ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fork — in a road
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. rule — a law
  6. clip — for paper
  7. date — the fruit
  8. clip — a video
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. clip — to cut
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. prune — to trim
  19. club — for golf
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. club — for dancing
  22. club — a group
  23. rule — government
  24. lash — an eyelash

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