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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rule — government
  3. suit — in cards
  4. dip — to sink
  5. key — for a lock
  6. suit — to fit
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. drill — army training
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. file — a tool
  11. key — the most important part
  12. file — a document
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. suit — clothes
  16. drill — a practice
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. file — a line of people
  20. rule — a law
  21. drill — the tool
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. fork — in a road
  24. key — in music

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