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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. last — final
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. last — to go on
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. net — for catching
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. net — in sport
  12. net — after costs
  13. fork — in a road
  14. snap — to click
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. last — finally
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. roll — a cake
  20. roll — a list
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. wax — to grow
  24. wax — in the ear

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