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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The water is too ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. cold — the Cold War
  3. content — the amount
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. content — happy
  8. mark — a trace
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. mine — for digging
  11. cold — an illness
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. cold — not warm
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. mark — a grade
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. mine — an explosive

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