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: last · fork · plane · pitcher · mouse · shower · firm · arm

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. plane — a tool
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. last — to go on
  5. shower — rain
  6. fork — in a road
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. last — finally
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. firm — decided
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. firm — a company
  21. shower — to wash
  22. firm — steady
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. last — final

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