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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. content — the amount
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — a thing
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. saw — the tool
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ball — a great time
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fall — the season
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. fall — to drop
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. object — an aim
  22. content — happy
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. ball — a dance

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