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. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — belonging to me
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. fork — in a road
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. march — the month
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. lie — to recline
  18. wound — an injury
  19. march — music
  20. deal — to handle
  21. wound — an injury
  22. mine — for digging
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. march — the month

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