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: firm · fine · shower · pitch · fork · pop · racket · staff

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. firm — steady
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. pop — to visit
  5. staff — employees
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. fork — in a road
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pop — music
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. shower — to wash
  15. firm — decided
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pitch — completely
  21. firm — a company
  22. shower — rain
  23. pop — soda
  24. fine — all right

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