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 116 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fall — to drop
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. fall — the season
  6. cue — a signal
  7. spell — magic
  8. cue — a hint
  9. net — after costs
  10. cue — for pool
  11. net — in sport
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. spell — letters
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. fall — to drop
  18. spell — a short time
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. net — for catching
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. bay — a horse colour

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