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: cabinet · saw · bowl · fork · suit · spring · board · march

  1. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. fork — in a road
  6. spring — of water
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. board — a committee
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. spring — the season
  16. march — the month
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. suit — to fit
  19. saw — the tool
  20. spring — a coil
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — clothes
  23. board — to get on
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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