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: calf · jam · ground · shower · lash · ball · fork · bound

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. fork — in a road
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. shower — to wash
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. ball — a great time
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. bound — obliged
  16. bound — tied together
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. shower — rain
  20. ground — a position
  21. bound — certain
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. ground — crushed

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