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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. squash — the sport
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. pass — a permit
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. wake — a trail
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. shower — rain
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. shower — to wash
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mine — for digging
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. leaves — lets stay

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