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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. court — of law
  4. fork — in a road
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — to get on
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. key — for a lock
  12. prune — to trim
  13. key — in music
  14. prune — to trim
  15. court — of a king
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. key — the most important part
  19. board — a committee
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. court — for sport
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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