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: roll · file · bowl · leaves · ground · foot · land · fork

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. roll — a list
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. file — a tool
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. land — to come down
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. roll — a cake
  14. foot — a measure
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. file — a document
  17. ground — the earth
  18. file — a line of people
  19. ground — a position
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. land — a country
  23. land — ground
  24. ground — crushed

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