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: can · jam · bore · lie · fork · game · calf · trunk

  1. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bore — to drill
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. game — a match
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. fork — in a road
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. game — wild animals
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. lie — to recline

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