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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: roll · toast · stick · fine · arm · fork

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. fine — all right
  5. roll — a cake
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. toast — bread
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. fork — in a road

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