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: spell · wake · trunk · rule · fork · degree · hide · temple

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. degree — temperature
  4. wake — a trail
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. spell — a short time
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. fork — in a road
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. spell — letters
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. rule — government
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. degree — from a university
  22. rule — a law
  23. degree — an amount
  24. spell — magic

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