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 · net · track · ball · leaves · rash · ruler · mate

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  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. ruler — a monarch
  2. net — after costs
  3. mate — a partner
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. net — for catching
  6. track — to keep track
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. track — a path
  11. net — in sport
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. mate — a friend
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. mate — to breed
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ball — a great time
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. track — a song
  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