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: stick · root · tube · spell · lie · present · deal · fork

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. lie — to recline
  4. deal — to handle
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. present — a gift
  7. present — the time now
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. tube — a container
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. root — of a plant
  12. spell — a short time
  13. root — the cause
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. tube — the underground
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. present — there
  18. spell — magic
  19. fork — in a road
  20. spell — letters
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. root — of a word
  24. lie — an untruth

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