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: kid · bank · fork · stick · mate · calf · board · rest

  1. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  9. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bank — of a river
  3. kid — child
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. bank — for money
  8. kid — to tease
  9. calf — of the leg
  10. mate — a partner
  11. board — a committee
  12. bank — for money
  13. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. fork — in a road
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rest — what's left
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. board — to get on
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — to breed
  24. rest — a break

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