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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. fall — the season
  5. pit — in a race
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chip — to eat
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. staff — employees
  13. fall — to drop
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. fall — to drop
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pound — a weight
  23. chip — for betting
  24. staff — employees

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