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

Word bank: calf · pound · fork · fine · trunk · stick · hand · track

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. pound — a weight
  6. track — a path
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. track — to keep track
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. hand — help
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. fine — all right
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. fork — in a road
  20. hand — in cards
  21. fine — high quality
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. track — a song
  24. pound — for dogs

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