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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: hand · stock · leaves · fork · calf · fan · lash · row

  1. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. stock — goods
  5. hand — help
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — a quarrel
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. row — a line
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. hand — in cards
  15. row — to paddle
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. stock — shares
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lash — to lash out

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