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: tear · ground · kick · nail · wind · fork

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — crushed
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tear — from crying
  7. wind — moving air
  8. ground — a position
  9. kick — in football
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. wind — to turn a key
  12. tear — from crying
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wind — moving air
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. tear — to rip
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ground — the earth

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