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 120 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: lean · mark · suit · fan · drill · fork · scale · row

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. row — a line
  4. drill — a practice
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — clothes
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. drill — the tool
  9. scale — size or range
  10. row — to paddle
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lean — thin
  14. drill — army training
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fork — in a road
  17. scale — in music
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. lean — to bend
  23. suit — to fit
  24. fork — to eat with

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