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: field · bound · straw · bowl · fork · last · cue · tube

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. bound — tied together
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bound — obliged
  6. last — final
  7. tube — a container
  8. field — farmland
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. last — finally
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bound — certain
  13. cue — for pool
  14. field — for sport
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. cue — a hint
  19. cue — a signal
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. field — a subject
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. last — to go on

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