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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. land — a country
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. can — a tin
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. fork — in a road
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. swing — in golf
  11. land — ground
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rest — what's left
  14. plane — a tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. land — to come down
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. swing — to play on
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. rest — a break
  24. swing — music

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