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: drill · rush · fork · foot · coach · suit · bark · spell

  1. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. drill — the tool
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. foot — a measure
  5. drill — a practice
  6. suit — in cards
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. fork — in a road
  10. spell — magic
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. spell — letters
  14. drill — army training
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. spell — a short time
  17. suit — clothes
  18. rush — hurry
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. suit — to fit
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. bark — to shout

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