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: rule · dip · mug · fan · stand · fork · hand · foot

  1. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. foot — a measure
  4. hand — help
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. dip — to sink
  9. rule — a law
  10. mug — a face
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. stand — to bear
  15. rule — government
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. hand — in cards
  22. fork — in a road
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. foot — part of the body

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