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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. field — farmland
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. board — a committee
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. board — to get on
  7. field — for sport
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. row — to paddle
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. rash — a series
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. row — a line
  24. field — a subject

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