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: mark · safe · bat · fan · fork · board · track · net

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  9. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. net — for catching
  3. board — a committee
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. bat — the animal
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. net — in sport
  8. bat — for baseball
  9. bat — in an idiom
  10. track — a song
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. track — a path
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fork — in a road
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. board — to get on
  22. net — after costs
  23. track — to keep track
  24. safe — out of danger

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