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: spell · content · fork · board · sharp · pound · tear · calf

  1. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — a young animal
  2. fork — in a road
  3. spell — letters
  4. board — to get on
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. tear — from crying
  7. content — happy
  8. spell — magic
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. tear — from crying
  11. board — a committee
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. content — the amount
  14. sharp — clever
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. pound — a weight
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. spell — a short time
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. tear — to rip

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