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 120 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 · coach · charge · prune · content · fork · sharp · drill

  1. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. fork — in a road
  3. prune — to trim
  4. sharp — clever
  5. charge — electricity
  6. content — the amount
  7. charge — in control
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. drill — a practice
  10. content — videos and posts
  11. charge — a price
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. content — happy
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. drill — army training
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. drill — the tool
  20. prune — to trim
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. coach — a trainer

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