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: squash · fork · rock · calf · stick · bound · pit · bear

  1. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. pit — in a race
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bound — tied together
  8. fork — in a road
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bear — the animal
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. bound — obliged
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rock — music
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bound — certain
  24. squash — the vegetable

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