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: bulb · fork · wake · fine · mate · spell · hide · ground

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. ground — crushed
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. ground — the earth
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. spell — a short time
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. fine — all right
  12. wake — to stop sleeping
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. fine — high quality
  15. bulb — for light
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. spell — letters
  19. ground — a position
  20. bulb — for light
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. spell — magic
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. wake — a trail

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