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: rule · fork · bowl · jam · lash · sharp · rash · date

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. rule — government
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. sharp — clever
  16. rule — a law
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. rash — a series
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. rash — hasty
  24. jam — in traffic

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