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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pit — in a race
  8. object — to protest
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. object — an aim
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pit — a hole
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. object — a thing
  17. fork — in a road
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. foot — a measure
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. date — the fruit
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. jam — a tight spot

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