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: stick · fan · last · cap · suit · arm · fork · wind

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. My father caught me by the ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. arm — part of the body
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. suit — clothes
  6. last — final
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. cap — a hat
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. suit — in cards
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. fork — in a road
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. cap — of ice
  19. wind — moving air
  20. last — finally
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. suit — to fit
  24. last — to go on

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