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 was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Have you settled on a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. fork — in a road
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. kick — in football
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. band — a music group
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. bore — to drill
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. band — a ring
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. date — the fruit
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. ball — a dance
  21. rock — a stone
  22. bore — to tire
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. date — on the calendar

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