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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. How do you ________________ your surname?
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — a series
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. vault — a safe
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. spell — letters
  9. rash — hasty
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. spell — magic
  13. season — in sport
  14. race — a contest
  15. race — humankind
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. season — of the year
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. rule — government
  22. race — the arms race
  23. bark — to shout
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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