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

Word bank: rock · fork · race · rule · leaves · nail

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rock — a stone
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. race — the arms race
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. race — humankind
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. race — a contest
  13. rule — government
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — in a road
  16. rule — a law
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. rock — music

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