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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  24. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. bulb — for light
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. bank — for money
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. squash — to crush
  7. bank — of a river
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. clip — for paper
  16. clip — a video
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bulb — for light
  19. snap — to click
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — an injury
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. snap — to speak sharply
  24. clip — to cut

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