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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. land — to come down
  4. game — a match
  5. game — wild animals
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. land — ground
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. key — in music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. fork — in a road
  12. key — the most important part
  13. sharp — clever
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. land — a country
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. saw — the tool
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. key — for a lock
  24. saw — the tool

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