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: bank · foot · game · key · patient · sharp · stand · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. key — the most important part
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. sharp — clever
  5. key — for a lock
  6. game — a match
  7. bank — for money
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. bank — of a river
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. fork — in a road
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bank — for money
  18. key — in music
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. foot — a measure
  21. game — wild animals
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — for spectators

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