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: rock · fork · last · date · present · suit · wound · saw

  1. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rock — music
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. suit — clothes
  6. last — finally
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. last — to go on
  9. present — there
  10. suit — to fit
  11. wound — an injury
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. wound — an injury
  15. last — final
  16. present — a gift
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. rock — a stone
  20. fork — in a road
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. present — the time now

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