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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. present — there
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. capital — a city
  14. rule — government
  15. foot — a measure
  16. present — a gift
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. stem — to come from
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. present — the time now
  22. rule — a law
  23. bark — to shout
  24. capital — money

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