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 dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. land — a country
  7. foot — a measure
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — ground
  10. field — for sport
  11. fine — all right
  12. land — to come down
  13. field — farmland
  14. fine — high quality
  15. shower — to wash
  16. bore — to tire
  17. field — a subject
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. shower — rain
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. fork — in a road

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