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

  1. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bark — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. bound — certain
  6. press — newspapers
  7. object — a thing
  8. press — a publisher
  9. fork — in a road
  10. bark — to shout
  11. object — to protest
  12. shower — to wash
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. press — to push
  15. pit — a hole
  16. shower — rain
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. bound — tied together
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. bound — obliged
  22. object — an aim
  23. bark — a dog's sound
  24. pit — in a race

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