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: current · kick · face · branch · rash · fork · mark · fall

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. branch — a division
  4. current — happening now
  5. face — to point toward
  6. rash — hasty
  7. fall — to drop
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. face — part of the head
  11. fall — to drop
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. current — of water
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mark — a grade
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. kick — in football
  18. mark — a trace
  19. rash — a series
  20. current — electric
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. fall — the season
  24. face — to confront

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