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 120 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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cue — a hint
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. last — final
  8. cue — a signal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. last — to go on
  18. fork — in a road
  19. last — finally
  20. cue — for pool
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. saw — the tool
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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