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: tear · bear · fork · bowl · chip · net · leaves · present

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. net — in sport
  3. bear — the animal
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. tear — to rip
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. net — for catching
  13. chip — for betting
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. tear — from crying
  16. tear — from crying
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. present — a gift
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. net — after costs
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. chip — to eat
  24. bowl — to roll

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