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: rest · fork · game · nail · toast · cabinet

  1. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. toast — bread
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. fork — in a road
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. rest — what's left
  8. game — wild animals
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. rest — a break
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. game — a match
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. nail — for a hammer

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