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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. bark — to shout
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. stem — a stem cell
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. season — in sport
  9. stem — to come from
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fork — in a road
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rest — a break
  19. season — of the year
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. fine — high quality

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