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: mate · snap · mark · fork · patient · foot · fan · rule

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. mark — a trace
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. foot — a measure
  11. mate — to breed
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. rule — a law
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. mate — a partner
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mark — a grade
  20. fork — in a road
  21. mate — a friend
  22. snap — to click
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. rule — government

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