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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. lean — thin
  3. spell — letters
  4. lean — to bend
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. spell — magic
  7. mate — a friend
  8. mate — a partner
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. fork — in a road
  11. spell — a short time
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. mate — to breed
  15. court — for sport
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. club — for dancing
  18. court — of law
  19. club — a group
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. club — for golf
  24. court — of a king

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