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 120 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: last · nail · mouse · perch · fork · suit · march · can

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. False peace will not ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. can — to be able to
  3. suit — to fit
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. last — final
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. march — music
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. march — the month
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. last — finally
  14. suit — clothes
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. last — to go on
  18. can — a tin
  19. march — the month
  20. fork — in a road
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — the fish
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. suit — in cards

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