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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mate — to breed
  3. drill — a practice
  4. current — electric
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. current — of water
  8. drill — army training
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. drill — the tool
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. key — for a lock
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — a partner
  19. current — happening now
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. perch — the fish
  24. key — the most important part

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