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: swing · rush · fork · rock · lie · jam · cold · bear

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. rock — a stone
  5. cold — an illness
  6. swing — music
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. lie — to recline
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. swing — in golf
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. fork — in a road
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cold — not warm
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. rush — hurry
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. rock — music
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. bear — the animal

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