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 120 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: last · rush · fork · chair · vault · suit · saw · leaves

  1. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. last — final
  6. suit — in cards
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. chair — a leader
  10. rush — hurry
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. last — to go on
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. vault — a safe
  17. saw — the tool
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. last — finally
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. suit — to fit

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