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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. We're almost out of ________________.
  11. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. pop — music
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. fork — in a road
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. spring — of water
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pop — soda
  11. dip — to dunk
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. dip — to sink
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. spring — the season
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. mate — a friend
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. spring — a coil
  24. dip — a sauce

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