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: pound · calf · plane · press · jam · roll · stick · fork

  1. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. press — newspapers
  5. roll — a list
  6. pound — a weight
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. fork — in a road
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. press — to push
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. press — a publisher
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. plane — a tool
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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