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: fork · firm · lean · fine · wake · club · degree · drill

  1. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  24. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. firm — a company
  4. wake — a trail
  5. degree — from a university
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. lean — to bend
  9. firm — decided
  10. degree — temperature
  11. club — for dancing
  12. club — for golf
  13. drill — the tool
  14. fine — all right
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. lean — thin
  18. firm — steady
  19. club — a group
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. fork — in a road
  23. drill — a practice
  24. degree — an amount

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