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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  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. mark — to pay attention
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. march — the month
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. march — music
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. mark — a grade
  12. wake — a trail
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. march — the month
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rush — hurry
  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