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: fork · present · bank · toast · kid · stem · mark · row

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  24. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. kid — child
  3. row — to paddle
  4. present — a gift
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. bank — for money
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — a grade
  11. toast — bread
  12. row — a line
  13. fork — in a road
  14. stem — a stem cell
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. kid — to tease
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. stem — to come from
  24. stem — of a plant

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