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. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. swing — to play on
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. hand — in cards
  8. swing — in golf
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. track — to keep track
  12. kick — in football
  13. track — a song
  14. mate — a partner
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. hand — help
  19. lean — thin
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. track — a path
  22. swing — music
  23. mate — to breed
  24. fork — in a road

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