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: hide · arm · suit · wake · fan · land · fork · cap

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. land — a country
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. cap — a hat
  10. land — to come down
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. cap — a lid
  14. wake — a trail
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. suit — in cards
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. suit — to fit
  20. fork — in a road
  21. cap — of ice
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. land — ground
  24. fan — a supporter

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