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: rule · row · coach · fine · fork · tear

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. fork — in a road
  3. rule — government
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fine — all right
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. row — a line
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. tear — from crying

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