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: bowl · fork · lash · stick · net · fine · ball · face

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. net — for catching
  3. face — part of the head
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. face — to point toward
  8. net — after costs
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. ball — a great time
  12. fine — all right
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fork — in a road
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. face — to confront
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. net — in sport

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