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: squash · bore · fork · mouse · fan · branch · wake · rule

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bore — to tire
  6. rule — a law
  7. rule — government
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. branch — a division
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. squash — the sport

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