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 usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. rock — a stone
  3. firm — a company
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. wound — an injury
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. firm — decided
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chest — a box
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — in a road
  14. kick — in football
  15. cap — of ice
  16. cap — a hat
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. rock — music
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. chest — of your body
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. firm — steady
  24. cap — a lid

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