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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. spring — of water
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. board — to get on
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. last — final
  14. prune — to trim
  15. prune — to trim
  16. last — finally
  17. rock — a stone
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. fork — in a road
  20. board — a committee
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. last — to go on
  23. spring — the season
  24. spring — a coil

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