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: craft · net · pitch · pop · stem · rash · fork · bowl

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. bowl — a dish
  4. fork — in a road
  5. pitch — completely
  6. pop — to visit
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. pop — soda
  11. net — for catching
  12. net — in sport
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. craft — a skill
  16. net — after costs
  17. stem — to come from
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stem — of a plant
  20. craft — boats
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. rash — a series
  23. pop — music
  24. rash — hasty

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