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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  13. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. fork — a garden tool
  2. ball — a great time
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. fork — in a road
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. foot — a measure
  9. root — the cause
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. ball — a dance
  12. bat — for baseball
  13. root — of a word
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. bat — the animal
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. march — the month
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. hide — to keep secret

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