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. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  2. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. cue — for pool
  2. branch — of a bank
  3. rule — government
  4. fork — in a road
  5. present — there
  6. net — after costs
  7. net — in sport
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. branch — a division
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. cue — a hint
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. net — for catching
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. rule — a law
  20. cue — a signal
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. present — the time now
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. present — a gift

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