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: mark · fork · rock · stand · date · spring · coach · lash

  1. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  2. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Have you settled on a ________________?
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — for spectators
  2. spring — a coil
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. fork — in a road
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — of water
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. date — the fruit
  17. mark — a grade
  18. stand — to bear
  19. mark — a trace
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rock — music
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. rock — a stone

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