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 116 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: rash · pound · band · fork · kick · saw · pass · leaves

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. band — a music group
  3. kick — a thrill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. saw — the tool
  6. pass — a permit
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. band — a ring
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — hasty
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. pound — a weight
  18. kick — in football
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. fork — in a road
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. saw — the tool

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