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: hide · jam · ruler · fork · last · wound · toast · kid

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. toast — bread
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. last — finally
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. last — final
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kid — child
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. wound — an injury
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. kid — to tease
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. last — to go on
  24. fork — in a road

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