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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. present — a gift
  3. spell — magic
  4. present — the time now
  5. spell — letters
  6. spell — a short time
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. net — after costs
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. rock — music
  11. fork — in a road
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. rock — a stone
  16. present — there
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. stand — to bear
  19. squash — the sport
  20. net — in sport
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chair — a leader
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stand — on your feet

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