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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. land — a country
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. land — to come down
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. land — ground
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. rule — a law
  11. lean — to bend
  12. perch — the fish
  13. fork — in a road
  14. plane — a tool
  15. rule — government
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. lean — thin
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. perch — for a bird

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