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: sharp · rest · court · fork · branch · temple · drill · pit

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. court — of a king
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. court — for sport
  6. branch — a division
  7. drill — the tool
  8. drill — a practice
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. court — of law
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. sharp — clever
  14. pit — in a race
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rest — what's left
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. pit — a hole
  23. drill — army training
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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