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 120 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 · leaves · ball · fork · stick · club · squash · bass

  1. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. squash — the sport
  3. fork — in a road
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — to crush
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. bass — the fish
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. bass — low music
  24. calf — a young animal

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