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 116 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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. fork — in a road
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. suit — clothes
  6. key — for a lock
  7. suit — to fit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. root — of a plant
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. stock — a soup base
  12. root — the cause
  13. stock — shares
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. suit — in cards
  17. row — a line
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — in music
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. ball — a great time
  22. stock — goods
  23. root — of a word
  24. row — to paddle

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