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: coach · stick · root · straw · stock · saw · fork · ball

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. saw — the tool
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. root — the cause
  8. root — of a plant
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stock — shares
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. ball — a dance
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. root — of a word
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. stock — goods

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