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: spring · hide · safe · jam · fork · mark · dip · pass

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. spring — of water
  5. pass — a permit
  6. spring — a coil
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. fork — in a road
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. dip — to sink
  17. spring — the season
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. mark — a grade
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. mark — a trace

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