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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. shower — to wash
  4. saw — the tool
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — all right
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. fork — in a road
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. shower — rain
  14. chair — a leader
  15. club — for dancing
  16. saw — the tool
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. fine — high quality
  19. rest — a break
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. rest — what's left

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