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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. field — farmland
  6. suit — clothes
  7. chair — a leader
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. field — for sport
  10. charge — a price
  11. bore — to drill
  12. can — a tin
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. can — a tin
  15. suit — in cards
  16. charge — electricity
  17. ruler — a monarch
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bore — to tire
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. field — a subject
  22. fork — in a road
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — to fit

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