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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. bound — tied together
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. mark — a grade
  8. bound — obliged
  9. prune — to trim
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. scale — in music
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. scale — size or range
  14. bound — certain
  15. mark — a trace
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — the fruit

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