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: bowl · rule · bay · fork · key · snap · straw · jam

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. snap — to speak sharply
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rule — a law
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fork — in a road
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. key — in music
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. snap — to click
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. key — the most important part
  17. key — for a lock
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. rule — government
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. straw — dry grass

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