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 · row · wound · court · ground · bound · pit

  1. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. row — to paddle
  3. court — of a king
  4. bound — tied together
  5. ground — the earth
  6. fork — in a road
  7. court — of law
  8. wound — an injury
  9. rest — what's left
  10. bound — obliged
  11. bound — certain
  12. wound — an injury
  13. rest — what's left
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. ground — crushed
  16. row — a line
  17. rest — a break
  18. pit — a hole
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. court — for sport
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ground — a position
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. row — a quarrel

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