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: roll · wake · fork · foot · lean · saw · temple · coach

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. foot — a measure
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. lean — thin
  9. roll — a list
  10. saw — the tool
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. saw — the tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. wake — a trail
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. roll — a cake
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. lean — to bend

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