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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The water is too ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. cold — not warm
  4. firm — decided
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. cold — an illness
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. spell — a short time
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. spell — magic
  15. degree — temperature
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. firm — steady
  18. degree — from a university
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cold — the Cold War
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. spell — letters
  23. degree — an amount
  24. firm — a company

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