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. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. bank — for money
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bank — for money
  5. track — a path
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. perch — the fish
  8. court — for sport
  9. track — a song
  10. rest — a break
  11. track — to keep track
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. pop — soda
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. pop — music
  19. rest — what's left
  20. bank — of a river
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. court — of a king
  23. rest — what's left
  24. pop — to visit

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