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: kid · leaves · field · fork · deal · plane · chair · can

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. can — to be able to
  4. chair — a leader
  5. field — for sport
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. field — farmland
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. fork — in a road
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. kid — to tease
  18. deal — to handle
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. kid — child
  21. plane — a tool
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. field — a subject

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