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 · degree · rash · suit · last · racket · present · trunk

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. last — final
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. suit — in cards
  8. last — finally
  9. suit — clothes
  10. degree — from a university
  11. rash — a series
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rash — hasty
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. degree — temperature
  16. present — there
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — to fit
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. last — to go on
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. present — the time now
  24. racket — for tennis

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