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: can · arm · cap · root · wind · fork · game · mark

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. mark — a grade
  3. can — a tin
  4. game — a match
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. mark — a trace
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. root — the cause
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. cap — a lid
  14. cap — of ice
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. game — wild animals
  17. root — of a word
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. root — of a plant
  21. cap — a hat
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. fork — a garden tool

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