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 116 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: kick · bass · perch · staff · coach · cap · ground · fork

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. Have you met the new head ________________?
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. fork — in a road
  3. cap — of ice
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — a stick
  7. cap — a hat
  8. perch — the fish
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. ground — a position
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the fish
  18. ground — crushed
  19. ground — the earth
  20. staff — employees
  21. kick — in football
  22. cap — a lid
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. bass — low music

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