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 120 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: fork · degree · spell · lash · ruler · pit · sharp · net

  1. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. degree — an amount
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. net — after costs
  6. pit — in a race
  7. sharp — clever
  8. spell — magic
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. pit — a hole
  15. net — in sport
  16. spell — a short time
  17. degree — temperature
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. degree — from a university
  23. net — for catching
  24. fork — in a road

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