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: saw · club · toast · rule · mate · fork · season · tear

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. season — in sport
  3. mate — a friend
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. season — of the year
  7. club — for golf
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. saw — the tool
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. mate — a partner
  12. tear — to rip
  13. club — a group
  14. tear — from crying
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — government
  18. toast — bread
  19. mate — to breed
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. saw — the tool
  22. tear — from crying
  23. club — for dancing
  24. toast — the most admired

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