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: field · ruler · bark · fork · cue · trunk · court · saw

  1. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — for sport
  2. court — for sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. bark — to shout
  6. field — a subject
  7. cue — for pool
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. cue — a hint
  12. saw — the tool
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. court — of law
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. cue — a signal
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. court — of a king
  22. fork — in a road
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. field — farmland

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