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: fall · jam · arm · fork · nail · spell · degree · leaves

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fall — the season
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. degree — temperature
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. spell — letters
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. fall — to drop
  16. degree — from a university
  17. fork — in a road
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. spell — magic
  21. degree — an amount
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. fork — to eat with

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