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: cabinet · root · suit · last · bore · fork · fine · hand

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. last — final
  5. suit — to fit
  6. root — of a plant
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. fine — high quality
  9. bore — to drill
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. last — finally
  13. suit — clothes
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. bore — to tire
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. suit — in cards
  19. root — the cause
  20. root — of a word
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. last — to go on
  24. fine — a penalty

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